Investigation of Cocaine Plumes Using Surface Acoustic Wave Immunoassay Sensors

Vapor sensors, aka electronic noses, are becoming an increasingly popular analytical tool for detection and identification of small molecules in the gas phase. In this paper, we present the results of a series of experiments demonstrating real-time vapor phase detection of cocaine molecules. A distinctive response or signature was observed under laboratory conditions in which the cocaine vapors were presented using an INEL vapor generator and under "field" conditions facilitated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Crime Lab. For these experiments, the sensor component was a two-port resonator on ST-X quartz with a center frequency of ~250 MHz. On this cut of quartz, a temperature-compensated surface acoustic wave is generated via an interdigital transducer. Antibenzoylecgonine (anti-BZE) antibodies are attached to the electrodes on the device surface via a protein-A cross linker. We observed a large transient frequency shift accompanied by baseline shift with the anti-BZE coated sensor. After repeated experiments and the use of numerous controls, we believe that we have achieved real time molecular recognition of cocaine molecules.