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A collection system for dry solid residues from exhaled breath for analysis via atomic force microscopy.
Victor N Morozov1, Andrey Y Mikheev
1Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 3, Institutskaya Str., Moscow Region, Pushchino, Russian Federation. The National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
Journal of Breath Research
|January 10, 2017
Summary
Researchers developed a new electrostatic collector to capture and analyze dry residue particles (DRPs) from exhaled breath. This technology enables the characterization of potential lung disease biomarkers in DRPs.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Exhaled breath contains sub-micron droplets of lung liquid that can harbor biomarkers for lung diseases.
- These droplets dehydrate into dry residue particles (DRPs), offering a potential non-invasive diagnostic medium.
- Characterizing individual DRPs is crucial for developing new diagnostic techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate a novel electrostatic collector for capturing and concentrating dry residue particles (DRPs) from exhaled breath.
- To characterize the morphology and behavior of DRPs using atomic force microscopy (AFM).
- To estimate the concentration of DRPs in exhaled air.
Main Methods:
- Development of a unipolar corona charger and electrostatic collector system for DRP deposition onto pyrolytic graphite.
- Utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze DRP morphology, surface features, and structural changes upon exposure to humidity and chloroform vapor.
- Employed laser counter measurements to quantify DRP concentrations in exhaled air.
Main Results:
- The electrostatic collector efficiently captures 80%-90% of DRPs at an optimal flow rate of 0.15 L/min.
- AFM revealed flattened DRPs (20-50 nm high) with inhomogeneous surface structures.
- DRPs exhibited significant height reduction and lateral expansion in humid air, with a minor volume decrease (10% ± 3%).
- Chloroform exposure indicated lipid drainage (10%-15% volume loss) without altering the core particle structure.
Conclusions:
- The developed electrostatic collector is effective for concentrating DRPs from exhaled breath for subsequent analysis.
- AFM characterization provides insights into DRP composition and structural integrity.
- Exhaled air from volunteers contains less than 100 pg of DRP material per liter, suggesting high sensitivity is required for biomarker detection.