Industrial Innovations

A Biosensor for the Detection of Lactic Acid

The growing awareness of the environmental pollution due to various reasons such as the relentless emission of automobile exhaust, global warming, holes in the ozone layer, acid rain and other ecological imbalances etc. have generated enough enthusiasm about sensors even to the public. But what is perhaps less known is the limitations of these attractive devices in terms of its cross sensitivity and unfortunately the practical usefulness of several sensors are curtailed singularly by the lack of sensitivity. Hence the development of highly selective and reliable sensing material that are durable enough could vastly expand the utility of sensors for a wide range of commercial application including control of environmental pollution, to avoid explosions, purification of industrial gases, industrial process control etc. Hence new methods of selectivity control are to be developed for a wider application of these sensors and also to improve their reliability. Environmental conditions temperature, pressure, roughness of the deposit, structure of the deposited materials, thickness etc. Influence the characteristics of sensors. The department of electronics is engaged to study the effect of these parameters on the sensors performance. Various chemical physical and analytical techniques have been used for investigation on these effects. The sensors which are in developing stage are gas sensors, biosensors, optical sensors etc.

Area: Engineering Sciences

Funding agency: Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India

Benefits: The electronic sensor is used for the detection of lactic acid in healthcare and medicines.

Implementing institute: National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Govt. of India

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