MANGANESE PHTHALOCYANINE FOR THE DETECTION OF FISH FRESHNESS BY ITS TRIMETHYLAMINE EMISSION

Detection of fish freshness has been demonstrated by a manganese phtha locyanine (MnPc)-based thin film gas microsensor. The sensor has been fabricated by vacuum deposition of two coplanar interdigited microelec trodes sandwiching the MnPc sensing material in a multilayered structu re. The sensor response to gases evolved from the fish muscle increase s with the decrease in its freshness. The freshness of katla (Catla ca tla) and pomfret (Stromateus sp.) fishes has been monitored with high sensitivity. Deterioration of freshness with storage time at 23 and 0 degrees C has been investigated. It is shown that the fish freshness c an be monitored very rapidly with high sensitivity with the microsenso r. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.