Odor sensor with water membrane using surface polarity controlling method and analysis of responses to partial structures of odor molecules

A novel odor sensing system which imitates the process of reception of odorants in biological olfactory system had been developed, utilizing surface polarity controlling method as a transducer of the sensor. In biological system, odorants are received by a large number of receptors, which recognize not whole structures but partial structures of molecules. The present sensor responded partial structures of odorants and adsorption interaction of the partial structures were controlled by the surface polarity of the electrode. Sensor output signals were analyzed on the stand point of partial structures of odorants. As a result, the responses to alcohols, aromatic compounds and aromatic alcohols as odorants could be discriminated by similar molecular structures, with principal component analysis (PCA). In addition, regression models of the response to partial structures of odorants were developed by multiple regression analysis, and odor qualities of aromatic alcohols could be evaluated quantitatively by partial structures of odor molecules.