Opto-Electronic Nose Coupled to a Silicon Micro Pre-Concentrator Device for Selective Sensing of Flavored Waters

Abstract

Headspace analysis of highly humid samples remains a challenge for artificial olfaction. Based on surface plasmon resonance imaging and bio-based sensors, the NeOse Pro olfactive analyzer yields multivariate data and enhances the statistical discrimination capacity of odor patterns. However, the presence of a high background signal, such as water vapor from aqueous samples, may deteriorate its discriminant ability. Recently, miniaturized pre-concentrators packed with hydrophobic adsorbent have been developed to improve the detection limit of gas analysis methods and to enhance their selectivity by reducing the water’s background signal. This work presents, for the first time, the coupling of a miniaturized silicon micro pre-concentration unit (µPC) to a bio-based opto-electronic nose (NeOse Pro). The results showed that the coupling of a silicon µPC with the NeOse Pro led to an improvement in the detection limit of n-nonane by at least a factor of 125. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) of eight different flavored waters showed an enhanced discrimination ability of the coupled set-up in highly humid conditions.

Feasibility of a Portable Electronic Nose for Detection of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Sudan

“…Electronic noses are devices that also allow detection and identification of various volatile compounds or odors based on gas sensor arrays to simulate the function of the human olfactory system [ 6 ]. Concomitant with rapid developments in sensor technology, there is a plethora of electronic noses (e-noses) technologies that appeared lately [ 7 ], displaying different sensor chemistries [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. As such, sensor arrays used in e-noses include many types of electrochemical sensors and different types of sensor-coating materials which are classified according to additive doping materials, the type and nature of the chemical interactions, the reversibility of the chemical reactions and running temperature.…”

Instrumental Odour Monitoring System Classification Performance Optimization by Analysis of Different Pattern-Recognition and Feature Extraction Techniques

“…Furthermore, IOMS possessed numerous advantages over sensorial (e.g., dynamic olfactometer) and analytical instrument (e.g., Gas chromatographymass spectrometry, colorimetric method, catalytic, infrared and electrochemical sensors, photoionization detector, differential optical absorption spectroscopy) because it is applicable for in-situ and in real time measurements [5][6][7][8]. Meanwhile, other techniques are Sensors 2021, 21, 114 2 of 16 combined with IOMS, such as pre-concentrator (i.e., silicon-micro), to improve the recognizing capability [9], Bluetooth to a smartphone for remote-controlling applications [4], and GC-MS to identify the responsible gas compounds in odour emission [10][11][12]. IOMS output odour metrics may include odour classification and/or odour quantification [13].…”

An Overview of Artificial Olfaction Systems with a Focus on Surface Plasmon Resonance for the Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds

“…These systems were limited in terms of sensitivity and selectivity based on only one or few sensitive chemical layers. Since 2000, an increasing number of articles can be found in the literature using both biological and organic sensitive materials [185][186][187][188][189][190][191][192][193][194][195][196][197][198][199][200][201][202][203][204]. It has been demonstrated that SPR is very effective for sensing VOCs in the gas phase.…”

“…NeOse Pro is a very promising tool for field analysis, although, as with most eNs, its use for the headspace analysis of highly humid samples remains a challenge, since its performance may be deteriorated by the presence of a high background signal generated by water vapor from aqueous samples. Slimani et al [189] have tackled this issue by using a miniaturized silicon preconcentrator packed with hydrophobic adsorbent coupled to the NeOse Pro (Figure 13). As a result, the eN showed not only a great improvement in the NeOse Pro is a very promising tool for field analysis, although, as with most eNs, its use for the headspace analysis of highly humid samples remains a challenge, since its performance may be deteriorated by the presence of a high background signal generated by water vapor from aqueous samples.…”