Bioelectronic sniffers for ethanol and acetaldehyde in breath air after drinking

Biosens Bioelectron. 2005 Feb 15;20(8):1573-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2004.08.007.

Abstract

Two kinds of bioelectronic gas sensors (bio-sniffer) incorporating alcohol oxidase (AOD) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) were developed for the convenient analysis of ethanol and acetaldehyde in expired gas, respectively. The sniffer devices for gaseous ethanol and acetaldehyde were constructed by immobilizing enzyme on electrodes covered with filter paper and hydrophilic PTFE membrane, respectively. The AOD and ALDH sniffers were used in the gas phase to measure ethanol vapor from 1.0 to 500 ppm, and acetaldehyde from 0.11 to 10 ppm covering the concentration range encountered in breath after alcohol consumption. Both bio-sniffers displayed good gas selectivity which was attributed to the substrate specificity of the relevant enzymes (AOD and ALDH) as gas recognition material. From the results of physiological application, the bio-sniffers could monitor the concentration changes in breath ethanol and acetaldehyde after drinking. The ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations in expired air from ALDH2 [-] (aldehyde dehydrogenase type 2 negative) subjects were higher than that of the ALDH2 [+] (positive) subjects. The results indicated that the lower activity of ALDH2 induced an adverse effect on ethanol metabolism, leading to ethanol and acetaldehyde remaining in the human body, even human expired air.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Acetaldehyde / analysis*
  • Acetaldehyde / chemistry
  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking*
  • Alcohol Oxidoreductases / analysis
  • Alcohol Oxidoreductases / chemistry
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / analysis
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / chemistry
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Breath Tests / instrumentation*
  • Breath Tests / methods
  • Electrochemistry / instrumentation*
  • Electrochemistry / methods
  • Electronics
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Ethanol / analysis*
  • Ethanol / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Ethanol
  • Alcohol Oxidoreductases
  • alcohol oxidase
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
  • Acetaldehyde