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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
06:27
Fast and Accurate Exhaled Breath Ammonia Measurement
Published on: June 11, 2014
Pulsed quantum cascade laser-based cavity ring-down spectroscopy for ammonia detection in breath
Jagadeeshwari Manne1, Oleksandr Sukhorukov, Wolfgang Jäger
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
Applied Optics
|December 8, 2006
Summary
This study presents a new breath analysis system for detecting ammonia, a marker for kidney issues and ulcers. The technology achieves high sensitivity and rapid detection, offering a noninvasive diagnostic tool.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Medical Diagnostics
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Breath analysis offers a noninvasive method for diagnosing various health conditions.
- Elevated ammonia levels in exhaled breath are associated with kidney malfunction and peptic ulcers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a sensitive gas analyzer for detecting ammonia in human breath.
- To assess the feasibility of using pulsed mid-IR cavity ringdown spectroscopy for breath analysis.
Main Methods:
- Development of a gas analyzer utilizing a pulsed mid-IR quantum cascade laser.
- Operation of the laser near 970 cm(-1) for ammonia detection.
- Application of pulsed cavity ringdown spectroscopy for trace gas analysis.
Main Results:
- Achieved a sensitivity of approximately 50 parts per billion for ammonia detection.
- Demonstrated a time resolution of 20 seconds for breath analysis.
- Successfully detected ammonia levels in human breath samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed system shows promise as a sensitive tool for noninvasive ammonia detection in breath.
- Further research is needed to address quantification challenges for clinical applications.
- Pulsed mid-IR spectroscopy is a viable technique for breath analysis.
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