Development of a novel olfactory biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance imaging
Résumé
Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a key issue in many industrial domains, from food industry to public safety. Here, we propose a biomimetic alternative to traditional analytical methods such as gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Novel olfactory biosensor was developed using surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) and odorant binding proteins (OBPs). OBPs are robust and can reversibly bind VOCs with a micromolar affinity. Herein, three mutant OBPs with tuned binding properties were immobilized on a chip in a microarray format to detect VOCs in liquid. We demonstrated that SPRi was efficient for the analysis of VOCs. The olfactory biosensor exhibited a low limit of detection both in concentration (360 pM, β-ionone) and in mass (100 Da, hexanal). In particular, it was highly selective at very low VOC concentration, which is promising for trace detection. Furthermore, an optimized regeneration process allowed re-use of the chip with prolonged lifetime.