UK drug detection firm meets Boris Johnson in South Africa

A meeting between London mayor Boris Johnson and UK-based drug detection specialist Trimega Laboratories took place in South Africa recently.

The mayor was in the World Cup host nation to learn more about hosting major sporting events, ahead of London's 2012 Olympic Games.

In the case of Trimega, he learned of its gas chromatography-mass spectrometrydrug detection solution, the Drugalyzer.

A solution for hair-based doping screening, the Drugalyzer detects evidence of drugs in human hair for as long as the hair has been growing.

This allows it to uncover drug abuse typically of up to a year old, according to Trimega Laboratories, as trace elements left behind by drugs remain in the hair indefinitely.

In order to confirm the presence of drugs, the hair is first analysed to see whether a metabolite associated with the substance is present.

Should the metabolite be found, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry phase is used to confirm the discovery.