Electronic Noses for measurement of fumigants - A View into the Future

Electronic Noses (ENs) are established for about fifteen years for the integral detection of gas atmospheres or odours. By means of innovative pattern recognition methods individual gas components can be detected from an EN's integral signal patterns. ENs have a high sensitivity for a wide range of gas classes. Additionally, they can easily be customized for new detection tasks via a software update. Consequently, they have a high potential for solving analytical problems concerning onsite detection of hazardous gases. This article specifies some recent developments and lists what additional development has to be made in order to enable reliable hazard detection in freight containers.