Techniques for rapid detection and quantitation of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) using breath samples
Inventors
Verbeck, IV, Guido Fridolin • Redmond, John • Wing, Tim C. • Keiser, Luke
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11721533-B1
Publication Date
2023-08-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
An exemplary breath analysis system may include a sampling chamber having a molecule collector disposed therein. The molecule collector may be configured such that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in a breath sample introduced to the sampling chamber adhere to the molecule collector. A heating element may ramp heat within the sampling chamber, causing release of at least a portion of the VOCs adhered to the molecule collector, lighter and/or less bound VOCs first, heavier and/or more strongly bound VOCs later. An analysis device (e.g., a mass spectrometer or a Terahertz (THz) spectrometer) may identify one or more target VOCs from among at least the portion of the VOCs released from the molecule collector and generate an output representative of the identified target VOC(s). The output may include information that quantitates a concentration of the target VOC(s) with respect to a source of the breath sample.
Core Innovation
A breath-analysis method receives a breath sample at a sampling chamber via an inlet. The sampling chamber includes a molecule collector disposed within it, where the molecule collector adheres volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the breath sample. The breath sample is characterized as having at least one VOC that is lightly bound and at least one VOC that is more strongly bound than the lightly bound VOCs.
The method ramps heat within the sampling chamber, and/or heat of the breath sample, using a heating mechanism. The ramped heat excites and/or releases the lightly bound VOCs first and then excites and/or releases the more strongly bound VOCs later from the molecule collector. Concurrent with ramping heat, the method introduces a vacuum in the sampling chamber.
The method identifies one or more target VOCs using an analysis device comprising a Terahertz (THz) spectrometer with an excitation source and a detector. The identifying is performed for VOCs present in the sampling chamber subsequent to release of at least a portion of the VOCs from the molecule collector, by first identifying one or more lightly bound target VOCs released first and later identifying at least one more strongly bound target VOCs released later from the molecule collector by ramping heat and/or heat of the breath sample. The analysis device generates an output representative of the one or more target VOCs, including information that quantifies a concentration of the one or more target VOCs with respect to a source of the breath sample, and evacuates the sampling chamber using vacuum concurrent with generating the output representative.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to a method for analyzing a breath sample and a system for analyzing a breath sample. Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on four inventive features: staged release of lightly bound versus more strongly bound VOCs using ramped heating, vacuum introduced concurrent with heating and analysis, identification of target VOCs using a THz spectrometer with excitation source and detector after sequential release, and generation of an output representative of the target VOCs, including quantification in the method claim.
Sequential VOC release by ramped heating of a molecule collector
Ramping heat within the sampling chamber, and/or heat of the breath sample, excites and/or releases the lightly bound VOCs first and then excites and/or releases the more strongly bound VOCs later from the molecule collector.
Vacuum introduction concurrent with staged heating and analysis
Concurrent with ramping heat within the sampling chamber, introducing a vacuum in the sampling chamber, and concurrent with generating the output representative of the one or more target VOCs, evacuating the sampling chamber using vacuum.
THz spectrometer identification tied to lightly bound then more strongly bound released target VOCs
Identifying, by an analysis device comprising a Terahertz (THz) spectrometer that includes an excitation source and a detector, one or more target VOCs from among the VOCs present in the sampling chamber subsequent to release of at least a portion of the VOCs from the molecule collector, first identifying one or more lightly bound target VOCs released first and later identifying at least one more strongly bound target VOCs released later from the molecule collector by ramping heat and/or heat of the breath sample.
Output representative quantifying target VOC concentration relative to breath sample source
Generating, by the analysis device, an output representative of the one or more target VOCs, the output representative comprising information that quantifies a concentration of the one or more target VOCs with respect to a source of the breath sample.
The independent claims cover a breath-sample analysis architecture that adheres VOCs to a molecule collector and then sequentially releases lightly bound and more strongly bound VOCs using ramped heating with vacuum used concurrently. A THz spectrometer with excitation source and detector identifies target VOCs after sequential release, and the method claim further generates an output that quantifies target VOC concentration relative to the breath-sample source.
Stated Advantages
Quantifies a concentration of the one or more target VOCs with respect to a source of the breath sample.
Documented Applications
Breath analysis for detection and identification of cannabinoid-related VOCs and metabolites, including Δ-9-THC, 11-OH-THC, THC-COOH, and THC metabolites.
Breath analysis for detection and identification of opioid-related VOCs and metabolites.
Distinguishing Δ-9-THC vs CBD.
Use in rapid on-site detection as motivated in the provided description.
Application context described for COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 in the provided key entities.
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