Application of Olfactory Detection Systems in Sensing Technologies

Abstract

Insects are equipped with a sophisticated olfactory detection system that enables high sensitivity and selectivity detection of various types of environmental odorants. Recently, the olfactory mechanisms of insects have been better elucidated to the extent to which they can be implemented for sensing technologies. The sensing technologies reported in this chapter, which utilize living insects or their antennae, showed that moth-derived sex pheromones and plant-derived general odorants can be detected in the field. In addition, many olfactory receptors have been identified in various insect species, each exhibiting a different response profile to different odorants. With the recent advancement in genetic engineering technologies, we have been able to reconstruct these insect olfactory receptors in protein expression systems for use as sensing elements in odorant sensors. In this chapter, we briefly introduce the mechanisms of olfaction in insects and summarize their applications in sensing technologies.