Apparatus for collecting and analyzing human breath

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of collecting and detecting compounds in a human breath sample, comprising: exhaling into a handheld sample collector to absorb at least one breath compound in an exhaled breath collector of said collector; connecting the handheld sample collector to a breath analyzer; transferring the breath compounds from the exhaled breath collector of the sample collector into the breath analyzer; and detecting breath compounds using two or more sensors. The method may be performed to detect breath compounds for determining health or disease diagnosis, or for drug monitoring.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus for collecting and detecting compounds in a human breath sample comprising: 
 a handheld sample collector comprising a sorbent phase;    a breath analyzer comprising a thermal desorption column;    two or more sensors for detection of breath compounds; and    a flow controller for controlling the transfer of breath compounds from the sample collector into the breath analyzer,    wherein the handheld sample collector and breath analyzer are configured for fluid communication with each other so that breath compounds from the sample collector can pass into the breath analyzer for detection.    
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured to detect at least one breath compound chosen from alcohols, ethers, ketones, amines, aldehydes, carbonyls, carbanions, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatics, biomolecules, sugars, isoprenes, isoprenoids, VOCs, VOAs, indoles, pyridines, fatty acids, and off-gases of a microorganism  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured to detect breath compounds for health or disease diagnosis.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the disease is chosen from acute myocardial infarction, asthma, bacterial infection, breast cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart transplant rejection, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, lung cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, or schizophrenia.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the bacterial infection is chosen from  Helicobacter pylori, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabolis, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, Clostridium, E. col, and M. tuberculosis infections.    
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured to detect breath compounds for drug monitoring.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured to detect breath compounds for determination of exposure to industrial solvents.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the handheld sample collector is not in fluid communication with the breath analyzer during sample collection.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the handheld sample collector comprises an inhalation passage and an exhalation passage.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the handheld sample collector is configured to collect breath compounds from multiple breaths.  
   
   
       37 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the sorbent phase is selected from activated carbon, silica gel, activated alumina, molecular sieve carbon, molecular sieve zeolites, silicalite, AlPO 4 , alumina, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus further comprises an air collector for collecting compounds in environmental air upon inhaling.  
   
   
       39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the air collector comprises a sorbent phase.  
   
   
       40 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the sensors comprise at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of mass spectrometers, surface acoustic wave sensors, quartz microbalance sensors, conducting polymer sensors, dye-impregnated polymer film on fiber optic detectors, conductive composite sensors, chemiresistors, metal oxide gas sensors, electrochemical gas detectors, chemically sensitive field-effect transistors, and carbon black-polymer composite devices.  
   
   
       41 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the sensors are polymer-coated surface acoustic wave sensors.