Fluctuation-Enhanced Chemical & Biological Sensor Systems

In this SBIR Phase I project, it is proposed to test the concept of Fluctuation-Enhanced Sensing (FES) as practical tool aimed at increasing sensitivity and selectivity of detection of chemical and biological agents in natural environment. We will focus on three groups of such agents: i) gaseous and volatile compounds (CO2, CH4, ethanol, acetone etc), ii) water-soluble compounds representing uniform microbial markers (NAD, DNA) and unique biochemical markers of potentially hazardous organisms (dipicolinic acid), and iii) bacterial cells in air and water. Single-wave IR spectrometry, diode array UV-spectrophotometry and terahertz spectrometry will be used as analytical instruments in attempts to detect the listed chemical and biological agents at level which normally considered to be instrumental noise. Signal processing will include high-order spectral analysis (Swami et al, 1993) and alternative approaches (e.g. signal filtration and pattern-recognition with artificial neural network).