An alarm system against invisible infestations Protected by 6 patents, the Bioguess biosensor is a true groundbreaking technology that allows to prevent the biodegradation of heritage and the occurrence of various illness in humans, by detecting mold before it becomes visible. In 2014, this biosensor received the Prize of Innovating Technics for Environment of the Pollutec exhibition.
A simple operation During their development, fungi release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which (a dozen or so) can mark mold activity. Thus, a fungal contamination index (FCI) has been determined through the combination of those VOCs presence and absence, allowing it to conclude wether there is an active fungal growth (including cases of hidden contamination). That FCI does not include a measure of spores presence in air or on materials as, unlike VOCs,
it is not an indicator of active infestations. The FCI was then incorporated into a monitoring device. That beacon is made up of miniaturized gas chromatography units and of a VOCs-detecting unit using polymer micro sensors. Once installed in the environment of interest, the biosensor carries out real-time analysis of collected data and alerts you in case of fungal development. Actions can then be taken as soon as possible to stop the mold proliferation.
Many benefits Although effective, the usual technics, based on visual inspection or on sampling and cultivation methods, do not allow the detection of recent (still invisible) or hidden (for instance, behind a coating) contamination, unlike Bioguess’ biosensor. That device also constitutes a major advantage in regards to standard commercial products which rely on measuring a room’s relative humidity. Indeed, a study carried out by Dr. Stéphane Moularat on a sample of 496 dwellings shows that the only measure of air relative humidity is uncorrelated with mold appearance as it needs liquid water to grow.
More traceable pollutants available soon R&D efforts continue to broaden the biosensor’s scope to detect other contaminants such as fungal poison, wood-eating insects, moths, chemical pollutants, allergens…
For more information about our research and our technology, consult our publications >
