Nanomaterials Based Sensors Determination of Some Clinically Important Compounds

Abstract

A sensor is a device that receives input from the external environment and newlineprocesses it. Typically, the output is a signal that is either electronically newlinecommunicated across a network for additional processing or it is transformed into newlinea human-readable display at the sensor location. These are broadly classified into newlinetwo: physical sensors and chemical sensors. In physical sensors, the input is a newlinephysical response such as temperature, pressure, etc. A chemical sensor is a newlinedevice that transforms a chemical information (composition, presence of a newlineparticular element or ion, concentration, chemical activity, partial pressure etc.) newlineinto an analytically useful signal. The chemical information, mentioned above, newlinemay originate from a chemical reaction of the analyte or from a physical property newlineof the system investigated. A sensor is comprised of two components, a receptor newlineand a transducer. The receptor selectively recognises the target molecules and the newlineinformation obtained is converted into analytically useful signals by the newlinetransducers. The chemical sensors can be optical, electrochemical, mass sensitive newlineand heat sensitive. Sensors have applications in different field such as automotive newlineindustry, health care, environmental monitoring, industrial automation, energy newlinemanagement, agriculture, etc. newlineHealth care is one of the most necessary steps towards a better world. newlineNowadays, the number of people affected with lifestyles diseases are increasing. newlineAlso, there is an increased number of neurodegenerative disorders and cancers. newlineBiomarkers are measurable indicators of physiological states, disease states or newlinebiological processes occurring within an organism. These could be measurable newlineand quantifiable biological substances such as chemicals, genes, proteins or newlineothers. For the quick and accurate detection of biomarkers, sensors are essential. newlineSensors can quantify the biomarkers from different body fluids using various newlineanalytical techniques. This helps in the early-stage detection of disease conditions.