Direct human breath analysis by secondary nano-electrospray ionization ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry: Importance of high mass resolution and mass accuracy

Xue Li; Lei Huang; Hui Zhu; Zhen Zhou

doi:10.1002/rcm.7794

Direct human breath analysis by secondary nano-electrospray ionization ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry: Importance of high mass resolution and mass accuracy

Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2017 Feb 15;31(3):301-308. doi: 10.1002/rcm.7794.

Authors

Xue Li^{1

2}, Lei Huang^{1

2}, Hui Zhu³, Zhen Zhou^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for On-line Source Apportionment System of Air Pollution, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
³ Guangzhou Hexin Instrument Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 510530, China.

PMID: 27859758
DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7794

Abstract

Rationale: Direct mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods make it possible to monitor the molecular compositions of hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled human breath in real time. Mass resolution and mass accuracy play important roles for direct MS analysis, especially for the low-concentration isobaric compounds in non-target research.

Methods: Direct detection of VOCs in exhaled breath of four healthy subjects (3 males and 1 female aged between 25 to 35 years old) has been performed by using secondary nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (Sec-nanoESI-UHRMS) at resolutions (R) of 15,000, 30,000, 60,000 and 120,000.

Results: For some low-intensity isobaric ions, they could be distinguished only when R ≥ 60,000, e.g., signals at m/z 96.9591 (sulfate/sulfuric acid), m/z 96.9687 (phosphate/phosphoric acid) and m/z 96.9756 ([C₄ H₂ O₇ S]^- ), m/z 234.1161 ([C₁₀ H₂₀ O₃ NS]⁺ ) and m/z 234.1338 ([C₁₀ H₂₀ O₅ N]⁺ ), m/z 119.0686 (isotope of indole) and m/z 119.0705 (an interfering signal), respectively. At R 120,000, the mass errors were obtained from a set of reference ions, and the values were ≤0.6 mDa for ions detected in positive detection mode and in the range of -1.0-1.1 mDa for the negative mode. These mass errors were used to exclusively identify unknown compounds detected in the breath samples. By utilizing the present setup, besides the normal VOCs reported previously, we detected non-volatile species (sulfate/sulfuric acid, silicate/silicic acid, phosphate/phosphoric acid and nitrate/nitric acid), dichlorobenzene and an ammonium adduct ([(C₂ H₆ SiO)₆ + NH₄ ]⁺ ), which were ascribed to exhaled particles, indoor air pollution and an endogenous source, respectively.

Conclusions: For direct breath analysis, high mass resolution of ≥60,000 and mass errors of 1.0 mDa (absolute value) covering the mass range of interests (e.g., m/z 50-500) are necessary for the exploration and accurate identification of low-intensity unknown isobaric compounds in non-target research. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.