Breath Analysis by Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy

Joseph GussDepartment of Physical ChemistryUniversity of Helsinki

Diagnosis

Cavity ring down spectroscopy

Breath transferred to cell

Patient

Diseases

Overall Schematic

Biomarkers

Lab photo

Scanning range

6350 – 6575 cm-1

1520 – 1575 nm

Sensitivity 5 10-10 cm-1Hz-1/2

Breath Spectrum

K. Stamyr, O. Vaittinen, J. Jaakola, J. Guss, M. Metsälä, G. Johanson, and L. Halonen, Biomarkers, in press as of April 2009.

Breath gas Formula Average fraction

methane CH4 2-10carbon monoxide CO 1-10

acetone (CH3)2CO 0-1

ammonia NH3 50-800

isoprene C5H8 50-200nitric oxide NO 10-50

nitrous oxide NO2 1-20

ethane C2H6 0-10

pentane C5H12 0-10carbonyl sulfide OCS 0-10

Endogenous trace gases in breath

ppm

ppb

Diseases

Disease Biomarker

schizophrenia pentane, CS2 [1]

angina pectoris CO

hyperbilirubinemia CO [2]

diabetes (type 2) acetone

asthma NO

liver diseases OCS, NH3

lung cancer VOCs

Helicobacter pyloriinfection

CO2 (urea breath test)

Diseases and biomarkers in breath

1. Journal of Clinical Pathology (1994) September, 47(9), 870.2. Pediatrics International (2001) 43, 329–333

• Has been shown to cause stomach ulcers

• 2005 Nobel Prize in medicine: Warren and Marshall

Helicobacterpylori

© The Nobel Prize committee for Physiology

or Medicine

              

      

Possibility of direct measurement of ammonia

(NH2)2CO + H2O CO2 + 2NH3

urease

Helicobacter pylori

13C urea breath test

Ammonia in raw breath samples

-80 -55 -30 -5 20 45 70 95 120 145 1700

1

2

3

4

5N

um

ber

of

sam

ple

s

%[NH3]

Positive Negative

Change in ammonia concentration after ingestion of 13C urea

Thanks

€ Emil Aaltosen Säätiö

Helsinki» Dr Florian Schmidt» Dr Olavi Vaittinen» Janne Jaakola» Prof. Lauri Halonen» Markus Metsälä

Stockholm» Kristin Stamyr» Gunnar Johanson

Tampere» Tapani Ahola» Mika Kähönen» Terho Lehtimäki