Development of a QCM sensor for detection of trans-2-hexenal in tomatoes

Abstract

Ripeness monitoring of tomato is very important due to the biosynthesis of a carotenoid Lycopene that increases with the maturity process. The ripening stages of tomato can be estimated by the smell it generates during particular maturity stages. This paper aims the detection of Trans-2-hexenal, an important ripening volatile of tomato with the help of quartz crystal microbalance sensor. A coating material formed by the chemical reaction process of pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr), polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000), tri-ethyl amine and chloroform has been developed for this purpose. Moreover different characterization of the sensor has been performed e.g. sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility and the perforamance is verified.