Abstract: Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) multi-sensor arrays coated with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) as recognition materials have been tested for screening and quantification. For receptor screening, six-electrode QCM sensor arrays containing MIP with variable ratios of vinylpyrrolidone-styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers were examined to identify the optimal monomer combination for chemical sensing of ethyl acetate in one measuring step. This revealed an optimum MIP that can detect vapours below 50 ppm. For quantification purposes, the QCM sensor array data were analysed chemometrically. Polystyrene-divinylbenzene imprinted polymers selectively detected volatile emissions from different herbs. The terpenes emission pattern revealed screening among isomeric terpenes with detection limits below 20 ppm. Furthermore, this strategy allows evaluating fresh and dried herbs and their levels of freshness and respective shelf lives
Template and target information: ethyl acetate, terpenes
Author keywords: QCM sensor array, Molecularly imprinted polymers, materials screening, isomer sensing