Detection of mutagenic polycyclic compounds using a piezoelectric quartz crystal coated with plasma-polymerized phthalocyanine derivatives

Many polycyclic compounds such as the products of amino acid pyrolysis are mutagens. We devised a system for selective detection of these compounds in solution, based on a piezoelectric quartz crystal coated with plasma-polymerized Fe phthalocyanine or Fe tetraphenylporphine films.