A study of 9 common breath VOCs in 504 healthy subjects using PTR-TOF-MS

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomarker Discovery
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) enables real-time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath.
• Breath analysis is a promising non-invasive method for health assessment and disease detection.
• Fifty-four healthy adults provided breath samples for VOC profiling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of demographic factors (gender, age, smoking history) on exhaled VOC concentrations.
• To establish baseline VOC profiles in a healthy adult population.
• To enhance the utility of breath biomarkers for health monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Exhaled breath samples were collected from 504 healthy adults.
• Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) was used to quantify nine specific VOCs.
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify demographic-related variations in VOC levels.

Main Results:

• Males exhibited higher average concentrations for certain VOCs compared to females.
• Significant positive correlations were observed between age and concentrations of propanol and methanol.
• Smoking history demonstrably affected the levels of various exhaled VOCs.

Conclusions:

• Exhaled VOC profiles are significantly influenced by demographic factors, necessitating consideration of these variables in biomarker research.
• PTR-MS provides a powerful tool for real-time breath analysis, crucial for dynamic biomarker monitoring.
• These findings support the development of breath analysis for non-invasive health assessment and early disease detection.