Electronic noses: specify or disappear

When the quality control is achieved by using GC or GC/MS, the apparatus mu st comply with the applicable norms, but what about "electronic noses"? End users demand for formal specifications for selectivity, sensitivity, repea tability and sample throughput. The behavioural modelling of electronic olf actometers may provide specifications for these required parameters. This w ill allow both the measure itself, and evaluate the influence of the experi mental errors on the sample classification. Users may expect to find a meth odology allowing the performances of systems to be checked before any final decision and during routine use. We have demonstrated that the system sens itivity and logarithmic baseline recovery after analysis can be well fitted , thus enabling high-accuracy measurements with controlled sample throughpu t. 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.