Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices

A special issue of Chemosensors (ISSN 2227-9040). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrochemical Devices and Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 24878

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yuquan Campus, Zhouyiqing Building, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Interests: biosensors and bioelectronics; electronic nose and electronic tongue; cell-based biosensors (cbbs) and organoid chips; bio-mems and bio-nems; biomimetic sensors
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Guest Editor
Institute of Medical Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
Interests: cell- and molecule-based biosensors; DNA biosensors; microfluidic chips; molecular diagnostics; micro/nano devices for chemical sensing; electrochemical sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yuquan Campus, Zhouyiqing Building, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Interests: in vivo and in vitro bioelectronic nose; olfactory biosensor; electrophysiology; neural decoding; brain rhythm

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological smell and taste systems can recognize the specific chemical signals presented by various odorants and taste substances with extremely high performance that cannot be achieved by current artificial devices. With the rapid advancement in micro/nano-technologies and olfactory/taste signal transduction mechanisms, bioinspired smell and taste sensors have been increasingly recognized as promising candidates for the development of the next generation of chemical sensors. Significant progress has been achieved due to the utilization of novel micro/nano devices, biological/nano materials, and configurations, which allowed for the huge improvement in chemical sensing performances. In this Special Issue, we would like to collect and discuss the most recent developments and applications of bioinspired smell and taste sensors. We would like to invite reviews and research articles related, but not limited to, the following topics: mammalian olfactory and taste system; bioinspired smell- and taste-based biosensors; electronic noses and electronic tongues; in-vivo chemical sensing systems; micro/nano devices for chemical sensing; and gas sensors with biological/nano materials.

Prof. Dr. Ping Wang
Prof. Dr. Chunsheng Wu
Dr. Liujing Zhuang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • bioinspired smell sensors
  • bioinspired taste sensors
  • chemical sensing
  • micro/nano devices
  • biosensors
  • gas sensors
  • olfaction and taste
  • nanomaterials

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 191 KiB  
Editorial
Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices
by Ping Wang, Chunsheng Wu and Liujing Zhuang
Chemosensors 2022, 10(11), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10110456 - 3 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1334
Abstract
Biological smell and taste systems can recognize the specific chemical signals presented by various odorants and taste substances with extremely high performance, which cannot be achieved by current artificial devices [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

18 pages, 2372 KiB  
Article
Detecting the Bitterness of Milk-Protein-Derived Peptides Using an Electronic Tongue
by Arijit Nath, Burak Atilla Eren, John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu, András Koris, Klára Pásztorné-Huszár, Emőke Szerdahelyi and Zoltan Kovacs
Chemosensors 2022, 10(6), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10060215 - 7 Jun 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3869
Abstract
Bitterness is a considerable limiting factor for the application of bioactive peptides in the food industry. The objective of this study was to compare the level of bitterness of milk-protein-derived peptides using an electronic tongue (E-tongue). Liquid milk protein concentrate (LMPC) was prepared [...] Read more.
Bitterness is a considerable limiting factor for the application of bioactive peptides in the food industry. The objective of this study was to compare the level of bitterness of milk-protein-derived peptides using an electronic tongue (E-tongue). Liquid milk protein concentrate (LMPC) was prepared from ultra-heat-treated skimmed cow’s milk. It was initially hydrolyzed with different concentrations of trypsin, namely, 0.008 g·L−1, 0.016 g·L−1 and 0.032 g·L−1. In a later exercise, tryptic-hydrolyzed LMPC (LMPC-T) was further hydrolyzed using Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The effect of glucose in microbial hydrolysis was studied. The bitterness of peptides was evaluated with respect to quinine, a standard bittering agent. The level of bitterness of the peptides after microbial hydrolysis of LMPC-T (LMPC-T-F and LMPC-T-FG) was evaluated using a potentiometric E-tongue equipped with a sensor array that had seven chemically modified field-effect transistor sensors. The results of the measurements were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA), and subsequently, a classification of the models was built using the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) method. The bitterness of peptides in LMPC-T-F and LMPC-T-FG was increased with the increase in the concentration of trypsin. The bitterness of peptides was reduced in LMPC-T-FG compared with LMPC-T-F. The potential application of the E-tongue using a standard model solution with quinine was shown to follow the bitterness of peptides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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11 pages, 1357 KiB  
Article
A Taste Bud Organoid-Based Microelectrode Array Biosensor for Taste Sensing
by Shuge Liu, Ping Zhu, Yulan Tian, Yating Chen, Yage Liu, Miaomiao Wang, Wei Chen, Liping Du and Chunsheng Wu
Chemosensors 2022, 10(6), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10060208 - 2 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3150
Abstract
The biological taste system has the unique ability to detect taste substances. Biomaterials originating from a biological taste system have been recognized as ideal candidates to serve as sensitive elements in the development of taste-based biosensors. In this study, we developed a taste [...] Read more.
The biological taste system has the unique ability to detect taste substances. Biomaterials originating from a biological taste system have been recognized as ideal candidates to serve as sensitive elements in the development of taste-based biosensors. In this study, we developed a taste bud organoid-based biosensor for the research of taste sensation. Taste bud organoids prepared from newborn mice were cultured and loaded onto the surface of a 64-channel microelectrode array (MEA) chip to explore the electrophysiological changes upon taste; an MEA chip was used to simultaneously record multiple-neuron firing activities from taste bud organoids under different taste stimuli, which helped to reveal the role of taste buds in taste sensing. The obtained results show that taste cells separated from the taste epithelium grew well into spherical structures under 3D culture conditions. These structures were composed of multiple cells with obvious budding structures. Moreover, the multicellular spheres were seeded on a 64-channel microelectrode array and processed with different taste stimuli. It was indicated that the MEA chip could efficiently monitor the electrophysiological signals from taste bud organoids in response to various taste stimuli. This biosensor provides a new method for the study of taste sensations and taste bud functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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18 pages, 2760 KiB  
Article
An Enzyme-Based Interdigitated Electrode-Type Biosensor for Detecting Low Concentrations of H2O2 Vapor/Aerosol
by Farnoosh Vahidpour, Yousef Alghazali, Sevilay Akca, Gregor Hommes and Michael J. Schöning
Chemosensors 2022, 10(6), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10060202 - 26 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3308
Abstract
This work introduces a novel method for the detection of H2O2 vapor/aerosol of low concentrations, which is mainly applied in the sterilization of equipment in medical industry. Interdigitated electrode (IDE) structures have been fabricated by means of microfabrication techniques. A [...] Read more.
This work introduces a novel method for the detection of H2O2 vapor/aerosol of low concentrations, which is mainly applied in the sterilization of equipment in medical industry. Interdigitated electrode (IDE) structures have been fabricated by means of microfabrication techniques. A differential setup of IDEs was prepared, containing an active sensor element (active IDE) and a passive sensor element (passive IDE), where the former was immobilized with an enzymatic membrane of horseradish peroxidase that is selective towards H2O2. Changes in the IDEs’ capacitance values (active sensor element versus passive sensor element) under H2O2 vapor/aerosol atmosphere proved the detection in the concentration range up to 630 ppm with a fast response time (<60 s). The influence of relative humidity was also tested with regard to the sensor signal, showing no cross-sensitivity. The repeatability assessment of the IDE biosensors confirmed their stable capacitive signal in eight subsequent cycles of exposure to H2O2 vapor/aerosol. Room-temperature detection of H2O2 vapor/aerosol with such miniaturized biosensors will allow a future three-dimensional, flexible mapping of aseptic chambers and help to evaluate sterilization assurance in medical industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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11 pages, 4590 KiB  
Article
A Cell Co-Culture Taste Sensor Using Different Proportions of Caco-2 and SH-SY5Y Cells for Bitterness Detection
by Chunlian Qin, Saisai Zhang, Qunchen Yuan, Mengxue Liu, Nan Jiang, Liujing Zhuang, Liquan Huang and Ping Wang
Chemosensors 2022, 10(5), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10050173 - 5 May 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3357
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are involved in bitter taste perception, which is one of the five basic taste modalities in mammals. In this study, a cell co-culture taste sensor using different proportions of Caco-2 cells and SH-SY5Y cells was proposed. Caco-2 cells, which [...] Read more.
Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are involved in bitter taste perception, which is one of the five basic taste modalities in mammals. In this study, a cell co-culture taste sensor using different proportions of Caco-2 cells and SH-SY5Y cells was proposed. Caco-2 cells, which endogenously expressed the human T2R38 receptor, and SH-SY5Y cells, which endogenously expressed the human T2R16 receptor, were co-cultured. Using Caco-2 cells and SH-SY5Y cells at a constant total concentration of 40 K/mL, we designed seven mixtures with [Caco-2]/([Caco-2] + [SH-SY5Y]) ratios of 0, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, and 100%. These mixtures were then seeded on the 16 E-plates of the electric cell-substrate impedance sensor (ECIS) for bitterness detection. Theoretically, after T2R38 ligands activation, continuous evolution profiles (CEP), with [Caco-2]/([Caco-2] + [SH-SY5Y]) ratios as the x-axis and ΔCI (Max) as the y-axis, would exhibit positive correlation property. After T2R16 ligands activation, the CEP would show negative correlation property. However, when stimulated with compounds that could activate both T2R16 and T2R38, it would show different response patterns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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12 pages, 2882 KiB  
Article
Elucidation of Response Mechanism of a Potentiometric Sweetness Sensor with a Lipid/Polymer Membrane for Uncharged Sweeteners
by Zihong Ye, Tianci Ai, Xiao Wu, Takeshi Onodera, Hidekazu Ikezaki and Kiyoshi Toko
Chemosensors 2022, 10(5), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10050166 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2555
Abstract
Nowadays, the utilization of a taste sensor with lipid/polymer membranes is one of the most accurate and objective ways to evaluate the tastes of solutions. However, it has been difficult to evaluate uncharged sweet substances, such as sucrose, because the conventional taste sensor [...] Read more.
Nowadays, the utilization of a taste sensor with lipid/polymer membranes is one of the most accurate and objective ways to evaluate the tastes of solutions. However, it has been difficult to evaluate uncharged sweet substances, such as sucrose, because the conventional taste sensor uses the potentiometric measurement, which is mainly based on changes in the surface electric charge density of the membrane. Previous studies have reported that a sweetness sensor called GL1 can evaluate the sweetness of sugars and sugar alcohols, and is commercially available for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the response mechanism of GL1 has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we focus on clarifying the effect of concentrations and types of metal ions in the conditioning solution on the response mechanism of the sweetness sensor GL1. Moreover, according to the different concentrations and types of metal ions in conditioning solutions, the complex formation and the hydrated radius were considered to influence the membrane potential measured in a reference solution and the sensor responses. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the response mechanism and improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the sweetness sensor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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15 pages, 4561 KiB  
Article
Au Functionalized SnS2 Nanosheets Based Chemiresistive NO2 Sensors
by Ding Gu, Wei Liu, Jing Wang, Jun Yu, Jianwei Zhang, Baoyu Huang, Marina N. Rumyantseva and Xiaogan Li
Chemosensors 2022, 10(5), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10050165 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3101
Abstract
Layered Au/SnS2 nanosheet based chemiresistive-type sensors were successfully prepared by using an in situ chemical reduction method followed by the hydrothermal treatment. SEM and XRD were used to study the microscopic morphology and crystal lattice structure of the synthesis of Au/SnS2 [...] Read more.
Layered Au/SnS2 nanosheet based chemiresistive-type sensors were successfully prepared by using an in situ chemical reduction method followed by the hydrothermal treatment. SEM and XRD were used to study the microscopic morphology and crystal lattice structure of the synthesis of Au/SnS2 nanomaterials. TEM and XPS characterization were further carried out to verify the formation of the Schottky barrier between SnS2 nanosheets and Au nanoparticles. The as-fabricated Au/SnS2 nanosheet based sensor demonstrated excellent sensing properties to low-concentrations of NO2, and the response of the sensor to 4 ppm NO2 at 120 °C was approximately 3.94, which was 65% higher than that of the pristine SnS2 (2.39)-based sensor. Moreover, compared to that (220 s/520 s) of the pristine SnS2-based sensor, the response/recovery time of the Au/SnS2-based one was significantly improved, reducing to 42 s/127 s, respectively. The sensor presents a favorable long-term stability with a deviation in the response of less than 4% for 40 days, and a brilliant selectivity to several possible interferents such as NH3, acetone, toluene, benzene, methanol, ethanol, and formaldehyde. The Schottky barrier that formed at the interface between the SnS2 nanosheets and Au nanoparticles modulated the conducting channel of the nanocomposites. The “catalysis effect” and “spillover effect” of noble metals jointly improved the sensitivity of the sensor and effectively decreased the response/recovery time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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14 pages, 3372 KiB  
Article
Odor Recognition of Thermal Decomposition Products of Electric Cables Using Odor Sensing Arrays
by Yuanchang Liu, Shintaro Furuno, Sosuke Akagawa, Rui Yatabe, Takeshi Onodera, Nobuyuki Fujiwara, Hidekazu Takeda, Seiichi Uchida and Kiyoshi Toko
Chemosensors 2021, 9(9), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors9090261 - 10 Sep 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2869
Abstract
An odor sensing system with chemosensitive resistors was used to identify the gases generated from overheated cables to prevent fire. Three different electric cables for a distribution cabinet were used. The cables had an insulation layer made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or cross-linked [...] Read more.
An odor sensing system with chemosensitive resistors was used to identify the gases generated from overheated cables to prevent fire. Three different electric cables for a distribution cabinet were used. The cables had an insulation layer made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). The heat resistance of the cables was tested by differential thermal and thermogravimetric analyses. The thermal decomposition products of the cables were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For the odor sensing system, two types of 16-channel array were used to detect the generated gases. One contains high-polarity GC stationary phase materials and the other contains GC stationary phase materials of high to low polarity. The system could distinguish among three cable samples at 270 °C with an accuracy of about 75% through both arrays trained with machine learning. Furthermore, the system could achieve a recall rate of 90% and a precision rate of 70% when the abnormal temperature was set above the cables’ allowable conductor temperature at 130 °C. The odor sensing system could effectively detect the abnormal heating of the cables before the occurrence of fire. Therefore, it is helpful for fire prediction and detection systems in factories and substations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Chemical Sensors and Micro-Nano Devices)
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