Intelligent and Biosensors

The term intelligent sensor (or smart sensor) has been used in the sensor industry to describe sensors that provide not only measurements, but also functionality to specific measurements. There are three characteristics that define an intelligent sensor: i) firstly, it contains a sensing element that measures one or more physical parameter; ii) secondly, it has a computational element that analyses the measurements made by the sensing element; iii) thirdly, it contains a communication interface enabling interaction with the outside world in order to exchange information with other components in a larger system. Furthermore, intelligent sensors allow networks of sensors to connect to each other, locally or around the globe in order to accomplish specific tasks. The use of intelligent sensors have revolutionised the way in which we gather data from the world around us, also how we extract useful information from that data, and the manner in which we use the newly obtained information for various operations and decision making. The field of Electrochemical sensors have shown that various methods can be employed in transducer modification in order to produce analytical probes that can be applied for the analysis of clinical, industrial, food and environmental samples. One specific type of electrochemical sensor that has received serious research attention over several decades is the Biosensor. A Biosensor can be defined as a compact analytical device containing biological material that is closely associated with a physico-chemical transducer, to produce either discrete or continuous digital electronic signals that are proportional to a single analyte or a related group of analytes. In this book the particular emphasis is on biosensors for the detection of organophosphorous and carbamate pesticide compounds. These pesticide compounds are known for their toxic effects due to their ability to irreversibly modify the catalytic serine residue in acetylcholinesterases (AChE) and subsequent inhibition of the AChE effectively prevents nerve transmission by blocking the breakdown of the transmitter choline. This book is an attempt to highlight the current research in the field of Intelligent and Biosensors, thereby describing state-of-the-art techniques in the field and emerging new technologies, also showcasing some examples and applications.