Two nine-element sensor arrays, consisting of either three cationic poly(para-phenyleneethynylene)s (PPE) or the same PPEs complexed by cucurbituril[8] (CB[8]) at pH 3, 7, and 13 in water, discriminate 22 different teas and some of their small molecule components, including caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. Both arrays distinguish all of the black, green and oolong teas. The discrimination occurs by differential fluorescence modulation of the components of the sensor array and the treatment of the collected data by linear discriminant analysis. The signal is generated by either simple quenching (PPE only array) or the disruption of the PPE/CB[8] complex and quenching of the complex's or the PPEs' fluorescence through the polyphenolic colorants of the teas. Added amino acids, theobromine, theophylline, and caffeine give a fluorescence turn on of the PPE-CB[8] array, due to the disruption of the self-assembled complex, while for the PPE-alone tongue only caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline elicited useful fluorescence response. Both tongues discriminate different teas without any problem.
Keywords: cucurbituril[8]; linear discriminant analysis; poly(para-phenyleneethynylene)s; sensor array; tea.