High-Sensitivity Detection of Acetone in Human Breath Using Near-Infrared Continuous Wave Cavity Ring-Down...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Acetone and methane in exhaled breath are potential biomarkers for metabolic conditions like diabetes.
• Noninvasive diagnostic techniques are crucial for patient monitoring and early disease detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CW-CRDS) method for simultaneous detection of acetone and methane in human breath.
• To assess the performance of the developed method in terms of detection limits and accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CW-CRDS) at 1672 nm.
• Employed a commercial distributed feedback diode laser (DFB) with a 3.5 nm tuning range.
• Developed a retroactive laser tuning determination method to eliminate the need for on-line wavelength calibration.

Main Results:

• Achieved a detection limit as low as approximately 10.5 parts per billion (ppb) for acetone and methane.
• Successfully measured gas concentrations in breath samples from two distinct populations (Doha, Qatar, and College Station, Texas).
• Demonstrated the capability to determine multiple gas mixture components simultaneously.

Conclusions:

• The developed CW-CRDS method provides a sensitive and accurate approach for noninvasive detection of acetone and methane in exhaled breath.
• This technique holds promise for the future diagnostics and monitoring of diabetes and metabolic profiles.
• The method's ability to perform simultaneous measurements and its noninvasive nature make it a valuable tool in clinical settings.