Bioelectronic detector with monoamine oxidase for halitosis monitoring

Analyst. 2005 Nov;130(11):1490-4. doi: 10.1039/b506748k. Epub 2005 Sep 14.

Abstract

Methyl mercaptan (MM) is known as one of the major chemicals of halitosis (bad breath). In this study, a bioelectronic gas sensor (bio-detector) for gaseous MM was developed and was applied to measure halitosis in breath. The bio-detector consisted of a Clark-type dissolved oxygen electrode, a monoamine oxidase type-A (MAO-A) immobilized membrane and a reaction unit that had liquid and gaseous compartments separated by a hydrophobic porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) diaphragm membrane. The tip of the electrode covered with MAO-A membrane was placed into the liquid compartment as touching to the PTFE diaphragm membrane. In order to amplify the bio-detector output, a substrate regeneration cycle caused by coupling the monooxygenase with l-ascorbic acid as reducing reaction with reagent system, was applied. The results of MM vapor measurements showed the calibration range of the bio-detector for MM vapor was from 0.087 to 11.5 ppm (correlation coefficient: 0.993) and included the human sense of smell level 5 (0.2 ppm). The bio-detector had good selectivity being attributed to enzyme specificity was obtained for several substances (trimethyl amine, ammonia, dimethyl sulfide, etc.). The bio-detector was applied for halitosis measurement. Expired gases in five subjects were sampled every hour and the concentrations of MM in the expired gases were monitored. The output of bio-detector showed behaviour of halitosis level changes in a day such as increasing with passage of time and decreasing after eating.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques
  • Breath Tests / instrumentation
  • Breath Tests / methods
  • Electrodes
  • Halitosis / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Monoamine Oxidase / chemistry
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / analysis*

Substances

  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • methylmercaptan
  • Monoamine Oxidase