Breath aerosol management and collection system

Abstract

Aerosol collectors 10, 120 include pre-collection filters 100, 126 , aerosol collection chambers 30, 130 , and other exhaled breath conditioning and control features for providing not only accurate and efficient, but also reliable and reproducible aerosol collections that can be used in standardizations and can be compared in meaningful ways to other exhaled breath aerosol collections from the same test subject and from different test subjects. The aerosol collector 10 example includes electrostatic collection components 34, 40 , and the aerosol collector 120 includes nucleating condensation components 168, 172 and vortex collection components 132, 138 . Both include analyte extraction apparatus 50, 124.

1 . A method of collecting a sample of non-gaseous aerosol in exhaled breath, comprising:
 inhaling a breath of air through a filter to remove ambient aerosols from the breath of air;   exhaling the breath of air through a collector and collecting aerosols from the exhaled breath.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , including controlling flow rate of the exhaled air through the collector to a desired flow rate. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , including limiting flow rate of the exhaled air through the collector to a desired flow rate. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , including assisting the exhaled breath of air through the collector with a pump. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , including inhaling the breath of air through a first conduit that contains the filter and exhaling the breath of air through a second conduit that contains the collector. 
   
   
       6 . A method of collecting a sample of non-gaseous aerosol in exhaled breath, comprising:
 enhancing a property of the aerosol in the exhaled breath in a manner that renders the aerosol more susceptible to a collection force; and   applying the collection force to the targeted aerosol to facilitate collection of the aerosol.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , including:
 enhancing a property of the aerosol in the exhaled breath by charging the aerosol with an electrostatic charge; and   creating a different electrostatic charge on a collection component to create an electrostatic attractive force between the aerosol and the collection component and applying such electrostatic force to attract the aerosol to the collection component.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , including:
 enhancing mass of the aerosol in the exhaled breath by super cooling air and water vapor in the exhaled breath to cause condensation of water vapor on the aerosol; and   applying centrifugal force to the aerosol enhanced with the additional mass of the condensed water to increase probability of contact of the aerosol with a collection surface.   
   
   
       9 . A method for the collection of non-gaseous substances suspended in exhaled breath from a human or animal test subject, comprising the steps of:
 causing the subject to exhale into a receiving chamber, and   applying an urging force directly to said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath within said receiving chamber, and   presenting a collecting surface to the interior of said receiving chamber, said collecting surface comprising a solid or a liquid to which the force urges the suspended non-gaseous substances to collect thereupon, and   removing the collected non-gaseous substances for further processing, and   displacing residual exhaled air, substantially depleted of said non-gaseous substances, with a new volume of exhaled breath,   whereby the collected material is useful for analysis and comprises substantially all of the useful said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath but only a minor fraction of exhaled vapors.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said urging force is selected from the group comprised of gravitational force, centrifugal force, electrostatic force, thermophoretic force, magnetic force, and aerodynamic force comprising motion imposed by a moving fluid acting against an aerodynamic drag of said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step prior to step (b) of augmenting a property of said non-gaseous substances upon which said urging force acts, whereby said augmenting increases the rapidity with which or the probability that the suspended non-gaseous substances will be urged to said collecting surface and collect thereupon. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said property of said non-gaseous substances comprises electrical charge, and   said augmenting comprises an ionizing means to impart an electrical charge of known polarity to said non-gaseous substances, and   said collecting surface has a polarity opposite that of said electrical charge, and   said urging force comprises electrostatic force,   whereby imparting said electrical charge on the suspended non-gaseous substances increases the strength of said electrical force upon the substances, increasing the rapidity with which or the probability that said non-gaseous substances will be urged to said collecting surface and collect thereupon.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said ionizing means comprises a first electrode comprised of an electrically conductive material and situated within the inlet end of said receiving chamber, and   said first conductive electrode having a physical shape causing high charge accumulation on an exposed feature, and   said first conductive electrode connects electrically to a pole of a direct current voltage source, and   said collecting surface within said receiving chamber comprising an electrically conductive material, and   said collecting surface connecting electrically to said direct current power source at a pole of opposite polarity to that connected to said first conductive electrode, and   said direct current power source having a voltage causing a corona field around said presenting feature of said first conductive electrode,   whereby said corona field imparts said electrical charge of known polarity to said non-gaseous substances as said exhaled breath flows around said first conductive electrode.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said property of said non-gaseous substances comprises physical mass, and   said augmenting comprises accreting physical mass to said non-gaseous substances.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 said accreting said physical mass of said non-gaseous substances comprises nucleation condensing of condensable gases in said exhaled breath upon substantially all nucleation centers within said receiving chamber, and   said nucleation centers comprising said non-gaseous substances.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said nucleation condensing comprises a super-saturating means acting upon said condensable gases within said exhaled breath. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said super-saturating means comprises a means to rapidly expand the volume of said exhaled breath within said receiving chamber. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said means to rapidly expand said the volume comprises a constricting means in a flow conduit that conducts said exhaled breath, followed by an enlargement of the internal diameter of said flow conduit, and   said constricting means creating a jet flow in which the flow velocity of said exhaled breath through said constricting means becomes substantially greater within said constricting means than the velocity of said exhaled breath in said flow conduit means providing said exhaled breath to said constricting means, and   said enlargement causing adiabatic expansion and thereby cooling of the gas volume to cause super-saturating of said condensable vapors in said exhaled breath, causing said condensable vapors in said exhaled breath to condense upon said nucleation centers comprising said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising a step of providing a negative pressure difference between said test subject's mouth and said conduit enlargement sufficient to present a resistance to exhalation that said test subject perceives as being substantially comfortable. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising a step of:
 controlling the temperature of said collecting surface, and   preventing said temperature from rising more than five degrees Centigrade above the ambient temperature, and   preventing said temperature from falling more than five degrees Centigrade below the ambient temperature.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said urging force comprises centrifugal force. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein generating said centrifugal force comprises a means to impart rapid rotational motion to said exhaled breath. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 said means to impart rotational motion comprises introducing said exhaled breath into said receiving chamber by means of a constriction in a flow conduit that conducts said exhaled breath to the inlet of said receiving chamber, and   directing the flow of said exhaled breath from the outlet of said constriction substantially at a tangent to the inner diameter of said receiving chamber, and   providing an outlet from said receiving chamber to allow an exit for exhaled breath depleted of said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath after application of said centrifugal force, and   providing a time period for the rotationally moving said exhaled breath adequate to assure substantially complete collection of said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said receiving chamber further comprises a geometric form having an internal configuration that is selected from the group comprised of substantially cylindrical, ellipsoidal, conical, or spiral form, and   said receiving chamber further including a dimension between inlet and outlet adequate to provide said time period for residence of said rotationally moving said exhaled breath, and   said collecting surface of said receiving chamber further comprises a material having thermal conductivity sufficient to assure adequate thermal regulation, and   said collecting surface further communicating thermally to a thermal mass whose temperature is regulated by a thermal controlling means.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising a step of providing a negative pressure difference between said test subject's mouth and said conduit enlargement sufficient to present a resistance to exhalation that said test subject perceives as being substantially comfortable. 
   
   
       26 . A method for the collection of non-gaseous substances suspended in exhaled breath from a human or animal test subject, comprising the steps of:
 causing the subject to exhale into a receiving chamber, and   applying an electrostatic force directly to said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath within said receiving chamber, and   presenting a collecting surface to the interior of said receiving chamber, said collecting surface comprising a solid or a liquid to which said electrostatic force urges the suspended non-gaseous substances to collect thereupon, and   removing the collected non-gaseous substances for further processing, and   displacing residual exhaled air, substantially depleted of said non-gaseous substances, with a new volume of exhaled breath,   whereby the collected material is useful for analysis and comprises substantially all of the useful said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath but only a minor fraction of exhaled vapors.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising a step prior to step (b) of imparting an electrical charge of known polarity to said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath, whereby said electrical charge urged by said electrostatic force increases the rapidity with which or the probability that the suspended non-gaseous substances will be urged to said collecting surface and collect thereupon. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said imparting said electrical charge comprises an ionizing means. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein:
 said ionizing means comprises a first electrically conductive electrode composed of an electrically conductive material, and   said first conductive electrode is situated in near the inlet of said receiving chamber, and   said first electrically conductive electrode is electrically connected to a pole of a direct current power supply, and   said collecting surface is composed of an electrically conductive material, and   said collecting surface is electrically connected to the pole of said direct current power supply that is the opposite polarity of the pole that is electrically connected to said first electrically conductive electrode, and   said direct current power supply has a voltage sufficient to cause a corona field around said first electrically conductive electrode,   whereby said corona field has strength sufficient to impart said electrical charge of intensity sufficient to result in said electrostatic force urging said non-gaseous substances to readily collect on said collecting surface.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said first electrically conductive electrode has at least one physical feature, exposed to the influent exhaled breath, that causes high electrical charge accumulation on said physical feature. 
   
   
       31 . A method for the collection of non-gaseous substances suspended in exhaled breath from a human or animal test subject, comprising the steps of:
 causing the subject to exhale into a receiving chamber, and   applying a centrifugal force directly to said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath within said receiving chamber, and   presenting a collecting surface to the interior of said receiving chamber, said collecting surface comprising a solid or a liquid to which said centrifugal force urges the suspended non-gaseous substances to collect thereupon, and   removing the collected non-gaseous substances for further processing, and   displacing residual exhaled air, substantially depleted of said non-gaseous substances, with a new volume of exhaled breath,   whereby the collected material is useful for analysis and comprises substantially all of the useful said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath but only a minor fraction of exhaled vapors.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein generating said centrifugal force comprises a means to impart rapid rotational motion to said exhaled breath. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein:
 providing said means to impart rotational motion comprises introducing said exhaled breath into said receiving chamber by means of a constriction in a flow conduit that conducts said exhaled breath to the inlet of said receiving chamber, and   directing the flow of said exhaled breath from the outlet of said constriction substantially at a tangent to the inner diameter of said receiving chamber, and   providing an outlet from said receiving chamber to allow an exit for exhaled breath depleted of said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath after application of said centrifugal force, and   providing a time period for the rotationally moving said exhaled breath adequate to assure substantially complete collection of said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein:
 said receiving chamber further comprises a geometric form having an internal configuration that is selected from the group comprised of substantially cylindrical, ellipsoidal, conical, or spiral form, and   said receiving chamber further including a dimension between inlet and outlet adequate to provide said time period for residence of said rotationally moving said exhaled breath, and   said collecting surface of said receiving chamber further comprises a material having thermal conductivity sufficient to assure adequate thermal regulation, and   said collecting surface further communicating thermally to a thermal mass whose temperature is regulated by a thermal controlling means.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising a step of providing a negative pressure difference between said test subject's mouth and said conduit enlargement sufficient to present a resistance to exhalation that said test subject perceives as being substantially comfortable. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising a step prior to step (b) of accreting additional physical mass to said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath, whereby said additional physical mass urged by said centrifugal force increases the rapidity with which or the probability that the suspended non-gaseous substances will be urged to said collecting surface and collect thereupon. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein:
 said accreting said physical mass of said non-gaseous substances comprises nucleation condensing of condensable gases in said exhaled breath upon substantially all nucleation centers within said receiving chamber, and   said nucleation centers comprising said non-gaseous substances.   
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said nucleation condensing comprises a super-saturating means acting upon said condensable gases within said exhaled breath. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said super-saturating means comprises a means to rapidly expand the volume of said exhaled breath within said receiving chamber. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein:
 said means to rapidly expand said the volume comprises a constricting means in a flow conduit that conducts said exhaled breath, followed by an enlargement of the internal diameter of said flow conduit, and   said constricting means creating a jet flow in which the flow velocity of said exhaled breath through said constricting means becomes substantially greater within said constricting means than the velocity of said exhaled breath in said flow conduit means providing said exhaled breath to said constricting means, and   said enlargement causing adiabatic expansion and thereby cooling of the gas volume to cause super-saturating of said condensable vapors in said exhaled breath, causing said condensable vapors in said exhaled breath to condense upon said nucleation centers comprising said non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath.   
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising a step of providing a negative pressure difference between said test subject's mouth and said conduit enlargement sufficient to present a resistance to exhalation that said test subject perceives as being substantially comfortable. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising a step of:
 controlling the temperature of said collecting surface, and   preventing said temperature from rising more than five degrees Centigrade above the ambient temperature, and   preventing said temperature from falling more than five degrees Centigrade below the ambient temperature.   
   
   
       43 . A method to assure reproducibility of the collection of non-gaseous substances suspended in exhaled breath from a human or animal test subject, comprising the steps of:
 providing a removing means to eliminate substantially all suspended non-gaseous particles and liquid aerosol droplets from ambient air drawn into an inlet conduit, and   conducting the cleaned intake air within said conduit to a first connecting means to said test subject's respiratory airway, and   providing a first one-way valve means causing air to flow in a direction from said inlet conduit to said first connecting means, said first one-way valve means being situated at any effective location in the inlet conduit, and   causing the subject to inhale said cleaned intake air, and   conducting the consequent exhaled breath through an exhalation conduit, and   providing a second one-way valve means causing air to flow in a direction from said first connecting means through said exhalation conduit, said second one-way valve means being situated at any effective location in said exhalation conduit,   thereby substantially eliminating substances external to said test subject from being inhaled by said test subject, and assuring that substantially all non-gaseous substances suspended in said exhaled breath comprise only those arising from said test subject's respiratory system.   
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising the steps of:
 optionally, measuring the flow rate over time of said intake air within said inlet conduit, and   optionally, providing data derived from said measuring to a recording means, and   optionally, providing data derived from said measuring to a controlling means,   thereby enabling the operator of said collection means to correlate the subject's inhalation performance with analyses of said collected substances, and to select the portion of consequent exhaled breath conducted to said collection means.   
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said removing means is any highly efficient device selected from one of the group comprised of filters, scrubbers, precipitators, impactors, aerosol classifiers, and collectors. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said first connecting means is selected from one of the group comprised of a respiratory facemask, a respiratory mouthpiece, a conduit such as an endotracheal tube inserted within the subject's upper airway, a tracheostomy portal, a component of a ventilator breathing circuit, and a component of any other respiratory support device.