Electronic noses: specify or disappear

When the quality control is achieved by using GC or GC/MS, the apparatus must comply with the applicable norms, but what about "electronic noses"? End users demand for formal specifications for selectivity, sensitivity, repeatability and sample throughput. The behavioural modelling of electronic olfactometers may provide specifications for these required parameters. This will allow both the measure itself, and evaluate the influence of the experimental errors on the sample classification. Users may expect to find a methodology allowing the performances of systems to be checked before any final decision and during routine use. We have demonstrated that the system sensitivity and logarithmic baseline recovery after analysis can be well fitted, thus enabling high-accuracy measurements with controlled sample throughput. The selectivity versus temperature of the sensitive element is currently in characterisation using a GC/sensors coupling. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.