This review compares various types of (bio)electronic tongues. The design and principles of potentiometric and voltammetric electronic tongues are discussed together with applications in food and environmental analysis. Different approaches towards bioelectronic tongue are presented. Several methods for evaluation and interpretation of the measured data are described. Finally, the potential of such devices for analysis of wine is discussed.

This brief overview summarises the immunoassay-based results obtained in the course of two years of the European INCO-Copernicus project BIOTOOLS. The project is aimed at simplifying the procedures for detection of surface active compounds (SAC) using, among others, antibody-based methods, i.e., microtiter plate-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), polarisation fluoro immunoassays (PFIA), and enzyme flow injection immunoassays (FIIA). Thirty-three rabbits were immunised with five different sulphophenyl moieties and three p-hydroxyphenyl moieties conjugated to protein immunogens to produce analytical antibodies against linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS) and nonylphenol (NP). Although most of the antibodies exhibited binding reaction in indirect ELISA, only a few showed the required assay sensitivity. The best antibodies for LAS exhibited a 50% binding inhibition at IC50 19.8 microg L(-1) in indirect ELISA. Similar inhibition was observed for direct ELISA using peroxidase tracers. Antibodies against NP allowed the establishment of an indirect assay operating in the mg L(-1) range. A rapid and simple protocol for the screening of NP and LAS using homogeneous PFIA is described. The assay time for 10 samples was 7 minutes, thus allowing fast detection of the selected SAC at the mg L(-1) level. A generic competitive FIIA system, using a protein G column for separation of free and antibody-bound beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) tracer, was developed for the screening of LAS, NP, and nonylphenol decaethoxylate (NPEO10). The FIIA had a sample throughput (STP) of 5-10 samples per hour, with limits of detection (LOD) for LAS, NP, and NPEO10 of 19.5, 52, and 2.4 microg L(-1), respectively. The developed FIIAs were applied to spiked rain and surface water.

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