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Published on: January 20, 2022
Quantification of Volatile Acetone Oligomers Using Ion-Mobility Spectrometry
Tobias Hüppe1, Dominik Lorenz1, Felix Maurer1
1Center of Breath Research, Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saarland 66424, Germany.
Volatile acetone in exhaled breath exists as monomers and dimers in inconsistent ratios. Accurately measuring acetone requires accounting for both forms, as combined analysis confirms total volatile acetone concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Volatile acetone is a potential biomarker for various diseases.
- Measuring exhaled acetone is challenging due to inconsistent monomer-dimer ratios.
- Ignoring molecular form leads to inaccurate concentration measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the monomer-dimer ratio of acetone in ambient air, critically ill patients, and rats.
- Confirm the accuracy of combined monomer and dimer analysis against a reference calibration system.
Main Methods:
- Ion-mobility spectrometry was used to record volatile acetone intensities from exhaled air of critically ill patients and rats.
- Acetone concentrations in ambient air (ICU and laboratory) were measured over 24 hours.
- A reference calibration system using pure acetone vapor (5-45 ppbV) was employed.
Main Results:
- Ambient air acetone concentrations were similar in laboratories and ICUs.
- Exhaled acetone concentrations were slightly higher in rats than in critically ill patients.
- A high coefficient of determination (R²=0.96) was found between acetone concentrations and monomer/dimer intensities, with an exponential model (R²=0.98) accurately describing total acetone.
Conclusions:
- The monomer-dimer ratio of acetone is inconsistent across different environments and subjects.
- Both acetone monomers and dimers must be considered for accurate quantification.
- Combining monomer and dimer measurements provides an accurate assessment of total volatile acetone.
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