A sampler prototype for the simultaneous collection of exhaled air and breath condensate

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2019 Jul:2019:2226-2229. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2019.8856302.

Abstract

Exhaled air and breath condensate contain a large number of health biomarkers, such as volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, proteins and lipids. Nowadays, the collection of breath samples is carried out by commercial or lab-made sampling systems that collect only one type of sample (e.g. gaseous or condensate phase), thus limiting the diagnostic capability of breath tests. This work presents a portable prototype optimized for the simultaneous collection of gaseous exhaled breath and exhaled breath condensate within five minutes. The system is fully portable and has a total weight of about 1 Kg. An illustrative determination of ethanol, isoprene, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, 1-propanol, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, toluene and xylenes in breath, and cortisol and 8-iso-prostaglandin F in breath condensate is discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Breath Tests* / instrumentation
  • Exhalation
  • Specimen Handling
  • Volatile Organic Compounds*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Volatile Organic Compounds