A Novel Modular eNose System Based on Commercial MOX Sensors to Detect Low Concentrations of VOCs for Breath Gas Analysis

Abstract

In this work, a new generation of eNose systems particularly suited for exhaled breath gas analysis is presented. The developed analyzer system comprises a compact modular, low volume, temperature controlled sensing chamber explicitly tested for the detection of acetone, isoprene, pentane and isopropanol. The eNose system sensing chamber consists of three compartments, each of which can contain 8 analog Metal Oxide (MOX) sensors or 10 digital MOX sensors. Additional sensors within the digital compartment allow for pressure, humidity and temperature measurements. The presented eNose system contains a sensor array with up to 30 physical sensors and provides the ability to discriminate between low VOC concentrations under dry and humid conditions. The MOX sensor signals were analyzed by pattern recognition methods.

Semiconductor Gas Sensors: Materials, Technology, Design, and Application

“…Semiconducting gas sensors are applied to test some of these gases, such as acetone, hydrogen peroxide, volatile sulfur, nitric oxide, and ammonia [ 191 ]. However, the research is being conducted into constructing eNose systems based on commercial MOX sensors to detect low concentrations of VOCs in breath [ 192 ], further improved by temperature modulation, containing 8 analog and 10 digital commercial MOX sensors [ 193 ].…”

Modular Breath Analyzer (MBA): Introduction of a Breath Analyzer Platform Based on an Innovative and Unique, Modular eNose Concept for Breath Diagnostics and Utilization of Calibration Transfer Methods in Breath Analysis Studies

“…This study is mainly motivated by the difficulty of calibration of eNoses for breath analysis applications, the differences between instruments, the frequent recalibrations needed due to aging and drift and the environmental and other different conditions present in different hospitals which prevents obtaining a unified dataset for deep statistical studies. Another goal in this work, is to present our modular breath analyzer (MBA) platform (shown in Figure 1 ), a new updated version of our modular eNose [ 80 , 81 , 82 ] specifically designed for breath analysis. The previous version of the modular eNose concept was recently presented [ 80 , 81 , 82 ].…”

“…Another goal in this work, is to present our modular breath analyzer (MBA) platform (shown in Figure 1 ), a new updated version of our modular eNose [ 80 , 81 , 82 ] specifically designed for breath analysis. The previous version of the modular eNose concept was recently presented [ 80 , 81 , 82 ]. It consisted of a new eNose platform based on a novel modular sensing chamber, where different kinds of chemoresistive sensors can be combined [ 80 , 81 , 82 ].…”

“…The previous version of the modular eNose concept was recently presented [ 80 , 81 , 82 ]. It consisted of a new eNose platform based on a novel modular sensing chamber, where different kinds of chemoresistive sensors can be combined [ 80 , 81 , 82 ]. In one of these works, we combined analog and digital commercial surface mount devices (SMD) MOX gas sensors and checked its potential in an experiment aiming to detect VOCs under a high humidity background in a future application [ 82 ].…”

“…It consisted of a new eNose platform based on a novel modular sensing chamber, where different kinds of chemoresistive sensors can be combined [ 80 , 81 , 82 ]. In one of these works, we combined analog and digital commercial surface mount devices (SMD) MOX gas sensors and checked its potential in an experiment aiming to detect VOCs under a high humidity background in a future application [ 82 ]. The other experiment consisted of testing the instrument for on-line monitoring under dry and moderate humid conditions with six concentrations of two VOCs of interest [ 80 ].…”