Increased concentrations of breath haloamines are not detectable in airways inflammation using SIFT-MS

The haloamines, including the chloramines (H(2)NCl, HNCl(2)) and bromamine (H(2)NBr), are diffusible gases that are likely to be produced during inflammation and so may be present as markers of lung inflammation on breath. Although haloamines are quite reactive, it is possible to measure these compounds in humid samples using SIFT-MS. Until recently the quantification of haloamines in breath suffered from interference from other common breath compounds. This was overcome by heating the flow tube which removed major water cluster product ions. Despite the improvements to the method, previous attempts to measure the haloamines in breath samples from normal volunteers had found no evidence to support their presence. Since it is proposed that the haloamines may be present in higher concentrations during airways inflammation we have attempted to detect the compounds in the exhaled breath of patients with airways inflammatory conditions. On-line and off-line breath samples were analyzed; however, there was no discernable change to any of product ions when compared to ambient air or normal subjects. This suggests that despite sensitivity in the mid part per trillion range haloamines are not significantly raised in airways inflammation.