Biosensor Based Multisensorial System: Technological Design and Clinical Applications

Background: Sensor performances are highly improved when single sensor arrays are organized in multidimensional systems or networks for particular applications. This is facilitated by the large improvements in the miniaturization process, power consumption reduction and data analysis techniques possible nowadays. Multidimensional sensor systems are conceived to mimic the mechanisms of human senses. Among them, the so-called electronic nose and tongue are becoming more and more popular. Methods: Anthocyanins are exploited here as chemical interactive materials for both quartz microbalance (QMB) transducers used as gas sensors and for electrodes used as liquid electrochemical sensors. The optical properties of anthocyanins are well established and widely used, but they have never been exploited as sensing materials for both gas and liquid sensors in non-optical applications. By using the same set of selected anthocyanins an integrated system has been realized, which includes a gas sensor array based on QMB and a sensor array for liquids made up of suitable Ion Sensitive Electrodes (ISEs). The arrays are also monitored from an optical point of view. Results: This embedded system, is intended to mimic the working principles of the nose, tongue and eyes, called BIONOTE (BIOsensorbased multisensorial system for mimicking NOse, Tongue and Eyes). Preliminary results are discussed. Conclusions: These results are relative to: (a) the characterization of the optical properties of the tested materials; (b) the performance of the whole system as gas sensor array with respect to ethanol, hexane and isopropyl alcohol detection (concentration range 0.1–7 ppm) and as a liquid sensor array (concentration range 73–98 μM).