A medium is analyzed for the search for an odorous biological molecule
characteristic of a specific substance in an environment to be studied
comprising the steps of: exposing a component containing at least one
olfactory biological receptor, capable of selectively attaching the type
of odorous molecule sought, to an atmosphere taken from the environment
to be studied; irradiating that component by means of an incident laser
radiation having a wavelength chosen in the ultraviolet close to the
absorption wavelength for the olfactory receptor, to cause the excitation
of a resonance Raman scattering in the irradiated component; and
analyzing the Raman spectrum obtained to determine whether or not it
corresponds to the Raman spectrum of the olfactory receptor having
attached an odorous molecule of the type sought in the atmosphere
sampled, so as to identify any presence of the specific substance
mentioned in the environment to be studied.