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Researchers have designed a new kind of sensor that can detect minute traces1 of chloroform in various biological and environmental samples. The sensor was made from a polymer nanocomposite

consisting of organic-acid-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Chloroform may be released into the air through its formation in the chlorination of drinking water, wastewater and

swimming pools. It also emanates from pulp and paper mills, hazardous-waste sites and sanitary landfills. Chloroform affects the central nervous system and the liver causing hepatitis and

jaundice. In addition, animal studies have shown that it can cause kidney and liver tumours. It is thus necessary to detect traces of chloroform. However, current techniques for monitoring

chloroform involve complex steps and are not selective. To develop a simple and effective chloroform sensor, the researchers synthesized a nanocomposite by mixing the polymer polyaniline

with organic-acid-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes. They compared the response of the prepared nanocomposite to different chlorinated methane vapours with that of the pure polymer. The

nanocomposite sensor exhibited better selectivity to chloroform vapour in the presence of the other chlorinated methane vapours than the pure polymer. The researchers investigated the

effect of nanotube concentration on detection sensitivity and [Consider adding this.] found that the nanocomposite containing 2% weight of multi-walled carbon nanotubes exhibited the highest

chloroform detection sensitivity.