GAS PHASE BIOSENSORS

RESEARCH ON GAS PHASE BIOSENSORS IS PROPOSED, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY SPECIFIC, ULTRA SENSITIVE DETECTORS FOR INORGANIC AND ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN THE GASEOUS PHASE. THESE SENSORS WILL UTILIZE BIOADSORBENTS AS COATINGS ON 9 MHZ PIEZOELECTRIC CRYSTALS, TO FORM CONTINUOUS RESPONDING DETECTORS FOR SUBSTANCES OF INTEREST IN FERMENTATION RESEARCH (CO2, ALCOHOL, ETC.). THE FEASIBILITY OF USE OF A CO2 MONITOR WILL BE DEMONSTRATED IN PHASE I. DETAILED STUDIES OF THE GAS PHASE REACTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED, TO PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE DESIGN OF OPTIMAL RESPONDING BIOSENSORS. SUCH FACTORS AS THE COATING PHASE, IMMOBILIZATION OF THE PROTEIN FOR OPTIMAL REACTIVITY AND STABILITY, ACHIEVEMENT OF MAXIMUM SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY, REVERSIBILITY OF RESPONSE REQUIRED, LIFETIME STABILITY, RELIABILITY AND PROTEIN ORIENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED.