Abstract (eng)
Chemical sensors show a high potential, to play an important role in bioanalytical chemistry, medicine and food-technology. The rapid response time, user- friendly handling and low costs as compared to relevant analytical methods to assess analytes, make chemical sensors a innovative and attractive field of analytical chemistry. Due to the physical laws, on which these mass-sensors used are based, a nearly unlimited progress concerning bioanalytical, chemical and environmental research can be achieved.
The sensor itself is the QCM, the quartz crystal microbalance. An alternating current is applied to create resonance of the quartz, that can be measured as “eigen” vibration. The decrease in frequency is directly related to the ab/adsorption of analyte. The frequency shift is directly proportional to the mass, giving the direct information for gauging the concentration of analytes in the sample. Although temperature, pressure and viscosity of the solution affect the frequency shift, they can be compensated for by differential measurements.
The diploma thesis presented shows that the strategy chosen, molecular imprinting of polymers via the generation of synthetic antibodies, allows the detection of poppy proteins down to 100 µg/l. The cross sensitivity to other proteins, e.g. sesame and almond, were optimized. An increase of polymer coating up to 1 µm leads to an amplification of sensitivity by a factor of 10. In spite of the relative large protein molecules surface roughness and “bulk” phenomena are important. In all measure¬ments the “poppy sensor” will give the most pronounced resoponse to the poppy protein. Generally, concerning cross-sensitivities the highest effect is observed if the analyte is identicasl to the template, whereas cross-sensitivities are only 50% of these responses.