Handheld microcantilever-based sensor for detecting tobacco-specific nitrosamines
US7709264B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 4, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 21, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/170769
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for detecting tobacco-specific nitrosamines. The method includes exposing at least one microcantilever beam to a medium, which may contain tobacco-specific nitrosamines, and measuring a deflection of the microcantilever beam, wherein the deflection indicates a presence of tobacco-specific nitrosamines in the medium. The at least one microcantilever beam can include a silicon base layer and a gold-coated receptor layer with a plurality of thiol molecules having a sulfur head and carboxyl-terminated group. The at least one microcantilever beam can include a silicon base layer and a metal or metal oxide coated receptor layer. Alternatively, the microcantilever beam can be formed by co-absorbing tobacco-specific nitrosamines and silane molecules on a silicon microcantilever surface, wherein the template molecules of tobacco-specific nitrosamines physically co-adsorb between the silane molecules. The template molecules of tobacco-specific nitrosamines are then washed away with a solvent to form a silane monolayer having tobacco-specific nitrosamine cavities.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.