System and method for chemical and/or biological detection

A method for detecting the presence of one or more chemical and/or biological agents comprising the following steps:

• a) initiating simultaneous measurement and monitoring of a discriminating electrical, mechanical, chemical, electromechanical and/or electrochemical property of a first sensor or sensor array and one or more additional sensors or sensor arrays;
• b) initiating flow of an environment sample such that a first portion of said flow of said environmental sample is directed such that said first portion of said flow impinges upon a first sensor or sensor array, and one or more additional portions of said flow of said environment sample are directed such that said one or more additional portions of said flow impinge upon one or more additional sensors or sensor arrays;
• c) introducing one or more additives, that may be reactants, selective absorbers, and/or catalysts, into one or more of said first portion and/or said one or more additional portions of said flow of said environmental sample;
• and either
• d) observing a divergence in the discriminating electrical, mechanical, chemical, electromechanical and/or electrochemical property between said first sensor or sensor array and one or more of said one or more additional sensors or sensor arrays, said divergence indicating the presence of a detection target agent;
• or
• e) observing an absence of divergence in the discriminating electrical, mechanical, chemical, electromechanical, and/or electrochemical property between said first sensor or sensor array and one or more of said one or more additional sensors or sensor arrays, said absence of divergence indicating the absence of a detection target agent.