An electronic tongue based on voltammetry and a multichannel lipid membrane
taste sensor based on potentiometry are compared using two aqueous example
s: detergents and teas. The electronic tongue consists of four electrodes o
f different metals, a reference electrode and a counter electrode. The meas
urement principle is based on pulse voltammetry in which current is measure
d during the change of the amplitude of the applied potential. The taste se
nsor is based on eight different lipid/polymer membranes. The voltage diffe
rence between the electrodes and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode is measured
when the current is close to zero. The responses from the two sensors syst
ems are treated separately with multivariate data analysis based on princip
al component analysis and then merged to examine if further information cou
ld be extracted. It is shown that although the two sensor systems are about
equal in separation ability in the two cases, extra information can be gai
ned by combination of the two sensor systems. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V
. All rights reserved.