BLOWFLY OLFACTORY BIOSENSORS SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY

In this article we introduce an insect (blowfly Calliphora vicina) olf actory biosensor. This biosensor has proved sensitive to the vapour of biogenic amines, and especially to 1,4-diaminobutane, According to ou r electrophysiological experiments the blowfly olfactory biosensor was sensitive to the 1,4-diaminobutane odour (<1 ng in stimulus air pulse ), but less sensitive to 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,5-diaminopentane, 1,6-d iaminohexane, 1,7-diaminoheptane and ammoniac odour (<100 mu g on stim ulus cartridge). Based on time to voltage conversion and visual inspec tion we have determined the action potential rate as the response valu e. Also according to our behavioural tests the odour of 1,4-diaminobut ane attracted clearly the blowflies.