3.2.3 Living cell-based gas sensor system for the detection of acetone in air

Event
14th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors - IMCS 2012
2012-05-20 - 2012-05-23
Nürnberg/Nuremberg, Germany
Chapter
3.2 Biosensors III (cell based)
Author(s)
U. Bohrn, E. Stütz, M. Fleischer - Siemens AG, Corporate Research & Technologies (Germany), M. Schöning - Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies (INB) (Germany), P. Wagner - Hasselt University, Institute for Material Science (IMO/IMOMEC) (Belgium)
Pages
269 - 272
DOI
10.5162/IMCS2012/3.2.3
ISBN
978-3-9813484-2-2
Price
free

Abstract

In this study, a cell-based gas biosensor is presented, which can be used for the detection of gaseous organic compounds in ambient air. The response of living human nasal cells (RPMI 2650) towards the direct exposure of gaseous substances is monitored with a multi-parametric sensor system using an exposure time of 10-15 minutes. Changes in the cellular impedance, oxygen consumption rate and acidification rate are recorded immediately after the exposure and represent the metabolic cell reaction to the gas presented. The system is able to notify the presence of acetone in aqueous solution (~2%) but also - in significantly lower concentrations - in the gas phase (~200 ppm) within 30 minutes. The concentration-dependent decrease of cellular impedance is caused by the lipophilicity of this solvent, which causes hydrophobic interactions within the protein structure of the cell. The system might be used in the future for the monitoring of ambient air in work spaces as well as for the characterization of medical gases and aerosols.

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