Inventors: Southard GE
Patent Title: Sensor for monitoring an analyte
Publication date: 2004
Publication number: US2004_0072359

Abstract: A food spoilage sensor comprising a macrocyclic transition metal complex of the general formula 1 wherein M is a transition metal ion; D.sub.1, D.sub.2, D.sub.3 and D.sub.4 can be the same or different and can be N or P; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, and R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 can be the same or different and form, taken together with the adjacent carbon atoms to which they are bonded and joined together, an aromatic or a cyclic group with at least one of the aromatic or cyclic groups possessing one or more polymerizable moieties is provided. The complex selectively binds biogenic amines, such as cadaverine, putrescine and histamine, which are released by food spoilage microorganisms. The sensor undergoes a detectable color change upon exposure to biogenic amine, thus indicating that food spoilage has probably occurred. In one embodiment, a polymer containing the macrocyclic transition metal complex is molecularly imprinted with the biogenic amine to impart selective binding affinity such that upon exposure to biogenic amine, a color change is detected.
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