Colorimetric sensor arrays for molecular recognition

The development of colorimetric sensor arrays for the detection of volatile organic compounds is reported. Using an array of chemo-responsive dyes, enormous discriminatory power is created in a simple device that can imaged easily with an ordinary flat-bed scanner. High sensitivities (ppb) have been demonstrated for the detection of biologically important analytes, including amines, carboxylic acids, and thiols. By the proper choice of dyes and substrate, the array can be made essentially non-responsive to changes in humidity.