Detection of odorants using lipid-coated piezoelectric crystal resonators

Lipid-coated piezoelectric crystal resonators were applied to the detection of odorants. An impedance analyser and microcomputer were used for resonant frequency measurements. Asolectin, cholesterol, lecitin (from egg) and phosphatidylethanolamine were used as the coating film, and amylacetate, critical, β-ionane, menthone and other organic gases were detected. The miniumum concentration of a variety of odorants required to change the resonant frequency corresponded to the results previously reported from olfactory cells. After normalization of resonant frequency response values for amount of coating, the resonator could be used to detect odorants at levels down to ca. 1μl l-1.