System and Method for Detection of Analytes in Exhaled Breath

Abstract

A device, system, and methods are disclosed for detecting the presence or determining a quantitative amount of at least one drug substance from exhaled breath of a subject in-situ. A collecting surface has a Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)-active layer that comprises at least one SERS-active material. The collecting surface is arranged as an outer surface of a waveguide for contact with exhaled breath, such that at least traces of said at least one drug substance in said exhaled breath can contact said SERS-active layer for read-out of a Raman shift spectrum that is detected in-situ for said detecting the presence or determining the quantitative amount of said at least one drug substance from said exhaled breath.

1 . A method of recovering exhaled compounds from a filter, wherein said exhaled compound is a biomarker indicative of a disease, said method comprising:
 providing said filter comprising an exhaled aerosol comprising said compounds;   eluting said compound from said filter with an organic solvent to form a sample;   evaporating at least a portion of said sample on a SERS-active surface; and   recording at least one SERS-spectrum of said evaporated portion of said sample using SERS-technique.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising performing an analysis of the content in said sample from said at least one recorded SERS-spectrum. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising identifying said compounds from said SERS-spectra using a multivariate data model. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising performing an analysis of the content in said sample from said at least one recorded SERS-spectrum. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising mixing a polymeric layer with nanoparticles to obtain a SERS-active surface. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding a permeable layer selected from a group comprising silicone polymers, silica or silicone-elastomers to said SERS-active surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said added layer covers, coats or encapsulates said SERS-active surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising adding a permeable layer comprising a silicone polymers, silica and/or a silicone elastomers to said SERS-active surface. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising mixing of at least one SERS-active material with said silicone elastomers, silicone polymers and/or silica to form said SERS-active surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding pure deionized water to the sample. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program configured for said recording at least one SERS-spectrum according to  claim 1  and said performing an analysis according to  claim 2 , wherein said computer program comprises code segments for:
 recording a SERS-spectrum according to  claim 1 ; 
 analyzing at least one SERS-enhanced Raman spectrum according to  claim 2 ; and 
 reporting a presence or determining a quantitative amount of compounds, in said exhaled breath sample. 
 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising a code segment for identifying said compounds from said SERS-spectra using a multivariate data model. 
     
     
         17 . A method of detecting a compound that is indicative of a disease in exhaled breath absorbed on a filter, said method comprising:
 eluting said compound from said filter with an organic solvent to form a sample;   evaporating at least a portion of said sample on a SERS-active surface; and   recording at least one SERS-spectrum of said evaporated portion of said sample using SERS-technique.   
     
     
         18 . The method of according to  claim 17 , further comprising capturing an exhaled aerosol from the exhaled breath in said filter. 
     
     
         19 . A method for detecting the presence or determining the quantitative amount of a biomarker compound indicative of a disease, from exhaled breath of a subject in-situ, said method comprising:
 providing a device including a light source, a light detector, at least one optical filter, at least one waveguide, a collecting surface comprising of at least one analyte permeable material, and at least one Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)-active layer that comprises at least one SERS-active material;   collecting an exhaled breath sample from a subject;   making contact between said exhaled breath sample and said SERS-active layer of said device;   recording at least one SERS-enhanced Raman spectrum obtained from said SERS-active layer; and   analyzing said at least one spectrum, and based on said analysis detecting the presence of or determining the quantitative amount of said compound in said exhaled breath sample   wherein   said collecting surface is arranged as an outer surface of said waveguide for contacting said exhaled breath, such that at least traces of said compound in said exhaled breath can contact said SERS-active layer, and   said at least one waveguide is coupled to said light source and said detector is coupled to said at least one waveguide for a SERS measurement of emitted light from said SERS-active layer, such that a fraction of the light from said light source, when sent through said waveguide, is transmitted from said waveguide at least partly through said outer surface of said at least one waveguide to said at least one SERS-active layer, and a fraction of a SERS-signal emitted from said SERS-active layer is transmitted back into said waveguide, through said filter and further to said detector, whereby a Raman shift spectrum is detectable for said in-situ detecting the presence or determining the quantitative amount of said compound.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising using a SERS-active substrate or layer for detecting the presence or determining the quantitative amount of said compound from exhaled breath of a subject in-situ. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising diagnosing a disease based on a detected biomarker compound indicative of said disease.