Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer a huge potential in the development of cheap small-scale disposable biomimetic sensors. They are suited for a wide variety of biological targets and are compatible with many different measurement techniques such as gravimetric sensing and impedance spectroscopy. One potential sensor platform for MIP-based biosensors is the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). A 4-channel MIP/nonimprinted polymer (NIP) coated QCM biosensor array was developed on a single piece of quartz crystal. To study cross-channel frequency coupling of the resonance modes, a simulation of crystal designs using finite element analysis (FEA) modeling was created. Based on these simulations and using reactive ion etching (RIE) to create mesa-like structures on the crystal surface, crosstalk can be severely reduced. The improved functionality compared to the traditional QCMs was demonstrated by employing these mesa-type multichannel QCM (MQCM) crystals as an L-nicotine biosensor platform.
A new method is presented for smartphone-based impedance spectroscopy, especially fine-tuned for biomimetic sensor readout. Complete user control is given by means of an app while the on-board audio hardware of the smartphone or tablet PC is used to perform impedance measurements. This considerably limits the required external hardware. Disposable test strips can be mounted for convenient readout of various sensors. The system is verified on passive components and a synthetic molecularly imprinted polymer histamine sensor. The prototype design could prove a useful step toward the development of home-diagnostics biosensing applications.
Phone: þ32 11 26 88 04, Fax: þ32 11 26 88 99 Web: http://www.uhasselt.be/IMO Molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) sensors offer a high potential in the development of cheap small-scale disposable biomimetic sensors. Molecular imprinting leads to the formation of inert polymer particles with nanocavities, which can exhibit similar selectivity and specificity to target molecules as antibodies or enzymes. These sensors open up many possible applications in the field of mass-market consumer products such as food packaging sensors. One such application is the detection of histamine in spoiled fish, which causes scombroid poisoning, a common seafood poisoning.This contribution provides one possible solution for easing the use of these sensors in field applications. A screen-printed shortrange wireless MIP-based biosensor based upon passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags was developed as a proof of principle. Histamine molecules binding to an MIP recognition layer induce a dielectric change in the sensor capacitance, resulting in a resonance frequency shift that is transmitted by inductive coupling. This wireless sensor is capable of detecting histamine concentrations as low as 50 nM at a range of a few centimeters.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.