The acceptable pollutant concentration limits for sensitive artwork are generally at or below the few ppb regime: this is only ~1% of the permissible exposure limits (NIOSH PEL) required for humans. Monitoring such pollutants at such low levels is an exceptional scientific challenge, especially to do so in a cost effective fashion for a large number of locations and microenvironments (e.g., every display case in a museum). To meet this challenge, we have extended with new sensor array chemistry our already extremely sensitive and portable “optoelectronic nose” [1-4] and developed cumulative colorimetric sensor arrays. The resulting disposable sensor arrays are inexpensive, cross-reactive sensors using a wide range of chemical interactions with analytes (i.e., not just physical adsorption): an optical analog of mammalian olfaction. By digitally monitoring the change in color of each spot in the easily printed array, one has a quantitative measure of the composite response to volatiles. The use of a disposable array permits the use of stronger chemical interactions, which dramatically improves both sensitivity and specificity compared to any prior enose technology. Importantly the sensor array has been specifically engineering to be insensitive to humidity changes. A new and highly compact reader (the size of a deck of cards) for these arrays based on the color contact image sensor (CIS, used for portable business card and paper scanners) was used for these studies. We have broadened these studies by the use of cell phone camera imaging and made trial experiments in the monitoring of artwork from the Disney Animation Research Library exhibition in Beijing and Shanghai in order to monitor pollutant exposure both during shipping and during exhibition. This exhibition, "Drawn from Life: the Art of Disney Animation Studios" features animation drawings, story sketches, layouts, backgrounds, and concept art spanning the 90 years of the Walt Disney Animation Studio's history. Sensor arrays were used to monitor both exterior and interior environments of passepartout frames at the exhibition and inside the shipping crates during transport. 1. Rakow, N. A.; Suslick, K. S. Nature, 2000, 406, 710-714. 2. Suslick, K. S. Current Opin. Chem. Bio. 2012, 16, 557-563. 3. Lim, S. H.; Feng, L.; Kemling, J. W.; Musto, C. J.; Suslick, K. S. Nature Chemistry, 2009, 1, 562-567. 4. Askim, J. R.; Mahmoudi, M.; Suslick, K. S. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2013, 42, 8649 - 8682.

Colorimetric sensor arrays for monitoring pollutant exposure of artwork

251st National Meeting (2016)

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