[Gas chromatographic analysis of ethanol and acetone in the air exhaled by patients]

A new method for analysis of volatile endogenous compounds in exhaled air using portable gas chromatographer with photoionization detector has been developed. Detection threshold for ethanol and acetone is 0.1 mg/ml, this permitting one to omit the step of concentrating the exhaled air samples. The accuracy of detection is 5.9 to 7.7%. The concentration of endogenous ethanol in health was 0.12 to 0.3 mg/m3, that of acetone 0.6 to 2.8 mg/m3, that in cardiopulmonary patients 0.8 to 6.4 mg/m3 for ethanol and 2.9 to 47.2 mg/m3 for acetone. Fasting for 24 h led to 15-fold increase of acetone concentration in exhaled air.