A COLORIMETRIC NOSE: 'SMELL-SEEING'

摘要

Colorimetric array detection of a wide range of odorants has been achieved using a family of metalloporphyrins and other chemo-responsive dyes as immobilized on reverse phase silica gel. Color change patterns obtained from the array with an ordinary flat-bed scanner give striking visual identification of a range of ligating vapors (including alcohols, amines, ethers, phosphines, phosphites, thioethers, and thiols). Even weakly-ligating vapors such as arenes, halocarbons, and ketones can also be differentiated. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy shows solid-state color changes similar to those known for ligation in solution. The array shows good linear response to single analytes, as well as unique responses for analyte mixtures. In best cases, limits of detection are in the tens of ppb and analytes can be readily identified well below 1 ppm.