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Ozone detection is currently the subject of wide scientific and technological research, motivated by its harmful impact on human safety, environment and health. With the aim of searching for new highly sensitive materials for ozone detection, Ga-doped ZnS and ZnS-ZnO films were deposited by a spray pyrolysis technique. The obtained films were annealed at 400 °C for two hours. The ozone sensing properties were investigated by measuring the sensor resistance for several ozone concentrations ranging from 30 to 120 ppb. The sensor response reveals a dependence on the gallium concentration. The best response was obtained with 4% doping gallium. The sensitivity is 4.5 ppb-1 at 260 °C and the response to 30 ppb ozone is 150. Moreover, the sensor shows high performance such as good selectivity and fast rapidity.
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This work reports the thickness effect on the sensing performances of In2S3 material for some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). In2S3 films were deposited on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis technique. Different samples were prepared via changing the spray time in the range of 10-90 min. The film thickness varies from 0.8 µm to 6.1 µm. The X-ray diffraction results demonstrate that the In2S3 films are polycrystalline in nature and exhibit a cubic structure. Additionally, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and 3D profilometry examinations show that the surface roughness increases with the rising spray time. On the other hand, the oxygen adsorption versus working temperature was investigated. Sensing measurements with ethanol, methanol and acetone gases were carried out by a dynamic control of the current passing through the sensitive layers. The best sensitivity was obtained for the film matching a 70 min deposit time. An understanding of the detection mechanism based on the oxidation reaction between reduced vapors and chemisorbed oxygen was confirmed. The selectivity of the sensor was analyzed for several volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
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OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the compact benchtop Erytra Eflexis® automated analyser was performed at three health centres representing a range of routine transfusion workload. BACKGROUND: Automation instruments with the simplicity and flexibility adequate for small- to mid-sized blood transfusion services are an unmet need. METHODS: Performance in pre-transfusion testing (2109 ABO/D, 382 Rh/K phenotype, 2001 antibody screening, 113 antibody identification, 151 DAT, 88 extended phenotype; 655 cross matching) in comparison to Erytra® as reference device was assessed. Throughput [time to first result (TTFR), final turn-around time (TAT), processing rate] was calculated; usability and adaptability in laboratory practice under routine and with emergency samples were surveyed. RESULTS: Agreement between systems was 99·8% (11/5499 test discrepancies, all due to weak/doubtful positive reactions). Erytra Eflexis produced six true positives (two Rh/D, two B positives, two screening), four false positives (three screening and one cross matching) and one false negative (screening). Processing of eight routine samples with the Erytra Eflexis for ABO/Rh(D) and screening took 34-38 min and 32-37 min, respectively, independent of the simultaneous processing of a STAT sample, whether or not the incubator for STAT was reserved. In this scenario, a STAT sample requested within 2 min after the routine load was processed in 14-26 min. Processing rate tended to stabilise and optimise in the larger workloads, particularly in ABO/Rh(D)/K cards (16·7, 18 and 19·5 results/h for 10, 15 and 24 specimens, respectively). CONCLUSION: Erytra Eflexis analyser was found to be reliable and suitable for pre-transfusion routine tests performed in a small-/medium-sized blood transfusion laboratory.