A low-cost visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) portable multispectral imager for fast drug analysis

The prevalence of substandard and falsified (SF) drugs requires the development of effective identification and differentiation methods to distinguish genuine from SF medications. SF drugs may have harmful consequences, including increased morbidity and mortality. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a well-established technique that has demonstrated its effectiveness in detecting poor-quality medicines. It provides a rapid, specific, and non-destructive method for identifying SF. NIR spectroscopy may be applied in hyperspectral imaging, multispectral imaging, or point spectrum recording. Spectral NIR data, advanced data treatment, and chemometrics have proven to be essential in drug analysis. This project aimed to develop a low-cost visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) handheld and portable multispectral imager for fast drug analysis and detection of SF drugs. Low-cost spectrophotometers of this sort in low-income countries offer a cost-effective and quicker alternative to traditional laboratory methods (e.g., mass spectrometry). For this, we analyzed paracetamol tablets (test samples) and commercial tablets. The developed device employs multispectral imaging (MSI). We processed data using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Independent Components Analysis (ICA). The preliminary results suggest that our prototype has promising potential, with the ability to differentiate effectively between tablets with different compositions.