Single Exhale Biomarker Breathalyzer.

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensors
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Single exhale breathalyzers require highly sensitive, selective, and stable gas sensors.
• Nitric Oxide (NO) is a potential biomarker detectable in exhaled breath.
• Developing reliable NO sensors is crucial for non-invasive diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the response stability and response time of a selective Nitric Oxide (NO) sensor.
• To evaluate the sensor's suitability for a single exhale breathalyzer application.
• To lay the groundwork for a wireless handheld prototype.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a designed data acquisition system for sensor characterization.
• Exposed the NO sensor to a stable concentration of 200 ppb NO over two weeks.
• Performed experiments varying injection and retraction times to assess response and recovery.

Main Results:

• The selective NO sensor exhibited a stable response to 200 ppb NO over a two-week period.
• Demonstrated a fast sensor response time on the order of 15 seconds.
• Achieved an adequate sensor recovery time on the order of 3 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The characterized NO sensor meets stringent requirements for sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and response time.
• The sensor's performance indicates high suitability for single exhale breathalyzer applications.
• The developed system provides a foundation for future wireless handheld breathalyzer prototypes.