A method, device, and article of manufacture for detecting airborne sulfur, the method including obtaining a gel solution; applying the gel solution onto film; exposing a frame of the film on the film reel to surrounding air, where the surrounding air contains a concentration of airborne sulfur; and detecting a color change in the gel solution, where the color change is a response to a reaction between the amount of airborne sulfur and at least one component of the gel solution. The device may include a detector; a film; and a gel solution applied to a film. The article of manufacture may include a film; and a gel solution applied to a film.

A method for detecting an analyte comprising 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in a sample comprising: providing an indicator solution, comprising a cation and an anion; bringing in contact and/or interacting the indicator solution and the sample comprising the analyte; photocatalytically induced forming of an anionic TNT sigma complex, comprising the analyte and the anion, by means of exposure of the indicator solution and the sample brought in contact with one another; fluorescence optically detecting the formed anionic TNT sigma complex.

Hydrogel-substrate laminate structures and tough biocompatible hydrogel coatings for various equipment such as medical devices and underwater equipment, in which robust interfaces are formed between the hydrogel coatings and the substrate/equipment surface(s). The hydrogel coatings provide a highly-hydrated, ultra-low friction structure that does not rupture or delaminate under stress. The hydrogel coatings may further incorporate a variety of therapeutic agents and/or sensing mechanisms to provide for environmental sensing and therapeutic agent release.

In an embodiment, a benzene sensor comprises a substrate having an iodine complex disposed thereon, a radiation source configured to project UV radiation onto the complex, and a UV detector configured to detect a UV reflection off of the substrate having the iodine complex. The iodine complex can include a cyclodextrine-iodine complex such as an alpha-cyclodextrine-iodine complex, a -cyclodextrine iodine complex, or any combination thereof.

Described are sensors and methods of detecting hydrogen gas. The sensor includes a polymer matrix and a dye molecule in an amount sufficient such that exposure of the polymer matrix to hydrogen gas causes a change in a spectroscopic property of the dye molecule wherein the spectroscopic property includes at least one of color, absorbance, or luminescence. The polymer matrix may further include a catalyst, such as a transition metal, sulfonated Wilkinson's catalyst, colloidal Pt, sulfonated iridium cyclooctadiene triphenylphosphine, sulfonated rhodium cyclooctadiene triphenylphosphine, sulfonated ruthenium triphenylphosphine, or combinations thereof. Embodiments of the sensor may further include a gas permeable, water impermeable membrane, an outer covering, or combinations thereof.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of a sol-gel based matrix. The method comprises the steps of: a) providing a first alkoxysilane of the general formula: R.sup.1Si(OR.sup.2).sub.3 and a second alkoxysilane of the general formula (I): b) preparing a first sol-gel component by polymerization of the first alkoxysilane in the presence of an acid catalyst, c) preparing a second sol-gel component by polymerization of the second alkoxysilane in the presence of an Lewis acid catalyst, d) Mixing the first sol-gel component and the second sol-gel component for the preparation of a sol-gel based matrix. The above method results in a sol-gel based matrix with high stability and high porosity. The sol-gel based material may be used for the production of a composite or sensor suitable for monitoring analytes. Methods for preparing these composites or sensors are provided as well.

Arrays of integrated analytical devices and their methods for production are provided. The arrays are useful in the analysis of highly multiplexed optical reactions in large numbers at high densities, including biochemical reactions, such as nucleic acid sequencing reactions. The devices allow the highly sensitive discrimination of optical signals using features such as spectra, amplitude, and time resolution, or combinations thereof. The devices include an integrated diffractive beam shaping element that provides for the spatial separation of light emitted from the optical reactions.

A method of reading a coupon channel that displays a test section pattern after being exposed to a target substance, the method uses a device having a computer readable memory, digital camera, logic assembly and user interface; providing a pixel target intensity profile; placing the coupon in the device and exposing the coupon channel to a test fluid mixture; automatically using the digital camera to take a digital image of the coupon channel test section after the exposure. The improvement in the method includes finding the contiguous set of pixels from the test section of the coupon channel that best matches the intensity profile of the target pattern representation and determining if this best match set of pixels exceeds a similarity threshold and in response to a best match set of pixels passing the similarity threshold, automatically providing a human perceptible indication that the target substance has been detected.

A system and method for analyzing bio-fluid constituents and properties in a bio-fluid sample, wherein the system comprises a bio-fluid collection apparatus, a bio-fluid testing/analysis apparatus, and a reporting apparatus.

A system and kit for measuring analyte concentration in a bodily fluid include a durable component, at least one indicator component including an indicator zone, and at least one moisture sensor. The kit has multiple individually packaged indicator components. Methods of measuring analyte concentration in bodily fluids include the steps of collecting and transporting bodily fluid to at least one colorimetric analyte sensing element and detecting the presence of bodily fluid in contact with the at least one colorimetric analyte sensing element, collecting optical data relating to the at least one colorimetric analyte sensing element with at least one spectrophotometer after a predetermined time period after detecting the presence of bodily fluid, communicating the optical data to a computing system having at least one processor and data storage, and analyzing the optical data to determine at least one analyte concentration in the bodily fluid.