Developing a Color-Based Molecular Sensing Device: DETECHIP®

DETECHIP® is a detection system made of various sensors that has been shown to detect and discriminate between small molecules of interest, including various illicit drugs for and over-the-counter medications, explosives, pesticides and food spoilage metabolites. DETECHIP® employs an array of sensors from which an analyte is tested and based on changes in color; a code specific to the analyte is developed. DETECHIP® offers possibilities for a simple, sensitive, selective, and affordable alternative to costly immunoassays. Results from NMR, UV-VIS and fluorimetry studies suggest that the color and fluorescence changes are a result of intermolecular interaction between the analytes and sensors ranging from non-covalent covalent bonding of supramolecular structure to proton exchange between the analyte and sensor molecules. Current efforts are focused on miniaturization of DETECHIP® to the micro and nanoscale. Copyright © 2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.