A novel system for the comprehensive collection of nonvolatile molecules from human exhaled breath
Characterization of nonvolatile molecules in exhaled breath particles can be used for respiratory
disease monitoring and diagnosis. Conventional methods for the collection of nonvolatile molecules
in breath heavily rely on the physical properties of exhaled breath particles. Strategies taking
advantage of their chemical properties have not yet been explored. In the present study, we
developed a column system in which the surface chemistry between organic nonvolatile molecules and
octadecyl carbon chain was exploited for the comprehensive collection of metabolites, lipids, and
proteins. We demonstrated that the collection system had the capture efficiency of 99% and the
capacity to capture representative nonvolatile molecules. The collection system was further
evaluated using human subjects and proteins collected from human exhaled breath were characterized
and identified using gel electrophoresis and bottom-up proteomics. The identified 303 proteins from
mass spectrometry were f...
Source: Journal of Breath Research - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Dapeng Chen, Wayne A Bryden and Michael McLoughlin Source Type: research