The present invention concerns an assay, a method and a device for detecting the presence of an odorous compound on a surface comprising enclosing the surface in a compartment, which compartment comprises an odor capturing agent including a visual indicating agent, wherein the surface comprises an odorous compound derived from biofilm.

Among other things, this application describes systems and methods for detecting gas using a wide band light source, and at least two narrow band light sensors, wherein each sensor may be operable to detect light at a different range of wavelengths. Additionally, the gas detector device may comprise a color changing indicator operable to react with gas in the air to change color, wherein different gases may react to create different colors, and wherein the sensors detect light reflected by the color changing indicator from the wide band light source. The gas detector device may comprise a processor in communication with the at least two light sensors operable to receive detected reflected wavelength information from the light sensors, and determine the type of gas that reacted with the color changing indicator based on the color detected by the sensors, wherein each color may be associated with a different type of gas.

A device for detecting volatile compounds. The device includes a substrate and a matrix disposed on the substrate. The matrix includes a carboxyl-rich binder, a clay, and a pH-sensitive indicator dye admixed with the binder and the clay. The pH-sensitive indicator dye is dimensioned and configured to change color in response to contact with a pre-determined concentration of a volatile compound.

A photonic gas sensor and a method for producing a photonic gas sensor are disclosed. In an embodiment a photonic gas sensor includes a component housing with at least one cavity, a radiation-emitting semiconductor chip arranged in the cavity and configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range, a radiation-detecting semiconductor chip arranged in the cavity and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range and an active sensor element having a fluorescent dye configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in the second wavelength range upon being excited by electromagnetic radiation in the first wavelength range, wherein an intensity of the emitted electromagnetic radiation in the second wavelength range changes reversibly in presence of a gas to be detected.

A gas detection element for detection of a measurement target gas is provided. The gas detection element includes a gas detection layer including a chemochromic pigment; and a spacer. The spacer is permeable to the measurement target gas, is disposed on a first surface of the gas detection layer, and has an area smaller than an area of the gas detection layer.

A hybrid gas sampling device can combine the functionality of both whole air and sorbent based samplers. The sampling device can be used for collecting light to very heavy organic compounds, for subsequent thermal desorption into a GC or GCMS for quantitative measurement. The sampling device isolates collected samples of gas phase matrices in a sample vessel, provided with sorbent elements from a removable sample extraction device. The sampling device is operated by drawing a vacuum on the chamber through the sample extraction device after sampling, and then completing the extraction of the heavier organic compounds using a static, diffusive extraction under vacuum to allow optimal deposition of the heavier compounds on the sorbent. The vacuum container is cooled to draw any excess water back into the container, thereby dehydrating attached sorbent element(s) in preparation for thermal desorption into a GC or GCMS, eliminating interferences in the MS analyzer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for diagnosing film degradation which can identify the degraded state of a film based on a resin more efficiently and reliably than ever. In order to attain this object, a method for diagnosing the degradation of a film based on a resin is adopted, the method comprising using the following analysis method A and/or analysis method B, which is a non-destructive analysis method: analysis method A: confirming the presence or absence of abnormality in the film by visual observation and olfactometry, and analysis method B: confirming the presence or absence of an acid anhydride and a sign of hydrolysis reaction as to the film by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis.

A self-supporting film (10) comprises a gas barrier layer (20); a semi-permeable layer (40); and an indicator material (30), preferably a colorimetric indicator material, is provided between the gas barrier layer (20) and the semi-permeable layer (40). The indicator material (30) is in direct contact with the gas barrier layer (20). The film (10) is particularly useful as an item of packaging, particularly in packaging for perishable materials.

A carbon dioxide detector includes a carrier impregnated with an ink composition containing a pH indicator, an alkaline agent, a water retention agent, and water, and has a water content of 30 to 40 mass %.

A method of atmospheric inorganic and organic nitrogen quantification is disclosed. The ambient air is sampled by drawing it through an inlet followed by a denuder to reduce positive artifacts. After artifact removal, the air sample is collected onto a filter. The filter is subjected to thermal evolution under stepwise temperature program to generate a gaseous product mixture. In the presence of oxygen-containing carrier gas, the gaseous product mixture is oxidized to form oxidized gaseous products of CO.sub.2 and nitrogen oxides. Then, the nitrogen oxides products are processed to form an NO product and reacted with ozone to form an excited NO.sub.2* molecule. By quantifying the intensity of fluorescence, the concentration of NO.sub.2* molecule is measured, which determines the nitrogen content in the aerosol sample. The differentiation of inorganic and organic nitrogen is achieved through processing the thermally evolved carbon and nitrogen signals using multivariate curve resolution data treatment.