NEW SENSORS FOR MULTIANALYTE DETECTION

During the last few years, three-dimensional porous materials with polymers which present sponge morphology have been studied and developed by different methods. Most of these materials are used for oil absorption due to their high hydrophobic capacity, acting as absorbent decontaminants, and only a few have been used as colorimetric sensors. However, these sensors have certain disadvantages since a long exposure time is necessary to achieve low detection and quantification limits. Therefore, there are no optimal sensors for spot testing to control and monitor these air pollutants. However, there is a need in the field to provide sensor devices that in addition to being compact and with mechanical integrity, have high sensitivity in the detection/determination of these analytes in short periods of time. The invention: Researchers from the Universitat de València have developed a new 3D porous sponge-like matrix, with the capacity to embed/retain different types of reagents in its matrix, or to release those reagents previously embedded. This feature allows its use as a sensor with different reagents capable of detecting and/or determining different analytes. With this invention, a sensor with high speed and sensitivity for analyte sensing is achieved.