Detection of landfill gases by chemoresistive sensors based on titanium, molybdenum, tungsten oxides

Monitoring of the gases produced in landfills is a major task nowadays for the environmental safety of the areas neighboring garbage dumps. We approached the problem via solid-state chemoresistive gas sensors to detect typical complex organic gases produced by landfills, i.e., carbon sulfide, methyl sulfide, and xylene. We have tested Ti, W, and Mo mixed-oxide thin films deposited by reactive sputtering and processed through the selective sublimation technique. We recorded a remarkable response toward carbon disulfide and xylene below the attention level for these gases.