Assessment of solid state fermentation by a biolectronic artificial nose.

Area of Science:

• Bioelectronics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Solid-state fermentation (SSF) requires precise monitoring for optimal control.
• Assessing microclimate and reaction patterns in SSF is crucial for process management.
• Traditional methods for monitoring SSF can be time-consuming and lack on-site capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a bioelectronic artificial nose (AN) for on-site monitoring of solid-state fermentations.
• To assess the AN's ability to differentiate between various stages of composting, specifically solid hog wastes.
• To explore the AN's potential for discriminating between different types of odours, including alcoholic beverages.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fractionated olfactory cell proteins from bullfrog as receptor membranes.
• Coated proteins onto a piezoelectric quartz crystal connected to an oscillator and data recorder.
• Employed a personal computer (PC) for analyzing the AN's response as odor profiles and scale factors.

Main Results:

• The AN successfully differentiated headspace gas profiles between early and late stages of solid hog waste composting.
• Scale factors revealed a distinct pattern: a large peak in the early stage (vigorous biodegradation) and a small peak in the later stage (stabilization).
• The AN demonstrated capability in discriminating between various alcoholic beverages.

Conclusions:

• The bioelectronic artificial nose provides a viable method for on-site monitoring and control of solid-state fermentations.
• The AN can effectively assess the progression of composting by analyzing odor patterns, distinguishing active biodegradation from stabilization.
• The developed AN shows versatility, applicable beyond composting to other areas like beverage analysis.