Portable Sampling Device and Method for Sampling Drug Substances From Exhaled Breath

Abstract

A portable drug testing device for handheldly collecting a sample from exhaled breath of a subject for further sensor based analysis. The portable drug testing device comprising a housing comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the exhaled breath to exit through, and a sampling membrane arranged in the housing. a tubular element having a mouthpiece section for the subject to exhale into, and a selective trap section in fluid communication with the mouthpiece and the inlet of the housing having a non-straight gas flow path for letting aerosols pass through the tubular element. The sampling membrane is arranged to collect the aerosols from the exhaled breath. The portable drug testing device further comprises a volume measure unit for determining that a pre-defined volume of the exhaled breath has passed through the sampling membrane.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A portable drug sampling device for handheldly collecting a sample from exhaled breath of a subject for further sensor-based analysis, comprising:
 a housing comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet for said exhaled breath to exit through, and a permeable sampling membrane arranged in said housing transversal to a flow of exhaled breath passing through said sampling membrane, and wherein said sampling membrane comprises at least one layer of non-woven filtration; and   wherein said sampling membrane is arranged to collect aerosols from said exhaled breath passing through said sampling membrane.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a volume measure unit configured to measure a volume proportional to a pre-defined volume of said exhaled breath that has passed through said sampling membrane. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a tubular element having a mouthpiece section for said subject to exhale into. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein a port is arranged downstream said mouthpiece and upstream said sampling membrane and wherein said port is adapted to extract a defined portion of said exhaled breath into said measure unit. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a volume measure unit comprising a gas volume collecting element having a volume and wherein:
 a port is arranged downstream said mouthpiece and upstream said sampling membrane and wherein said port is adapted to extract a defined portion of said exhaled breath into said volume measure unit; and   wherein said volume of said gas volume collecting element is proportional to said defined volume of said exhaled breath.   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said volume collecting element is a non-elastic bag with a predetermined volume. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein said filter membrane comprises at least one further layer being a spunbonded carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein said filter membrane is made of a blend of acrylic fibers and polypropylene fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein said aerosols comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one drug substance in said exhaled breath. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein said drug substance comprises one or more of: an amphetamine, MDMA,  cannabis , a cannabinoid, an opiate, 6-AM, cocaine, a benzodiazepine, propoxyphene, methadone, buprenorphine, tramadol, LSD, cathinone, GHB, meprobamate, Z-drugs, tryptamine, and an anabolic steroid. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 6 , further comprising plugs configured and dimensioned to seal the housing inlet and outlet after use and removal of the tubular element. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the sampling membrane is attached to walls of the housing;
 the housing comprises at least two connectable parts, a first part including said inlet and a second part including said outlet.   
     
     
         18 . A portable sampling device for collecting a sample from exhaled breath of a subject, comprising:
 a housing comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet for said exhaled breath to exit through, and a sampling element arranged in said housing for collecting aerosols from the exhaled breath by a tubular element having a lumen in flow connection with an inlet of said collection device; said tubular element comprises at least two baffles arranged on opposite sides of said lumen to provide a none straight path through the tubular element, said baffles protrude into said lumen with at a distance larger than a radius of said lumen.   
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the tubular element is a straight tube. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein a volume measure unit is arranged for determining that a pre-defined volume of said exhaled breath has passed through the sampling device. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein a mouthpiece section is arranged for the subject to exhale into, and in fluid communication with the tubular element and said inlet of the housing. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the volume measure unit is configured to measure a volume proportional to said pre-defined volume of the exhaled breath. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein a port is arranged downstream the mouthpiece which is adapted to extract a defined portion of the exhaled breath into the volume measure unit. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one drug substance in the exhaled breath. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one bio-marker in the exhaled breath. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one drug substance in the exhaled breath and wherein the drug substance is comprised in the list comprising Amphetamine, ecstasy,  Cannabis , THC and cannabinoids, Opiates, heroin, morphine, 6-AM, Cocaine, Benzodiazepines, Propoxyphene, Methadone, Buprenorphine, Tramadol, LSD, Designer/Internet drugs, Kathinon, GHB, Meprobamat, Z-drugs, Tryptamines, or Anabolic steroids. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath, wherein the aerosols comprise liquid droplets carrying non-volatile drug substances or compounds. 
     
     
         28 . A method of screening a person for drugs and/or biomarkers in exhaled breath of a subject, comprising:
 collecting a sample of aerosols from the exhaled breath in a sampling element comprising, a tubular element having a lumen in flow connection with an inlet of said collection device; said tubular element comprises at least two baffles arranged on opposite sides of said lumen to provide a none straight path through the tubular element, said baffles protrude into said lumen with at a distance larger than a radius of said lumen;   extracting a collected content from the collection device; and   employing a sensor unit for detecting traces of pf drugs and/or biomarkers in the content.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one drug substance in the exhaled breath. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one bio-marker in the exhaled breath. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the aerosols from the exhaled breath which comprise non-volatile compounds of at least one drug substance in the exhaled breath and wherein the drug substance is comprised in the list comprising Amphetamine, ecstasy,  Cannabis , THC and cannabinoids, Opiates, heroin, morphine, 6-AM, Cocaine, Benzodiazepines, Propoxyphene, Methadone, Buprenorphine, Tramadol, LSD, Designer/Internet drugs, Kathinon, GHB, Meprobamat, Z-drugs, Tryptamines, or Anabolic steroids. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the sample is aerosols from the exhaled breath, wherein the aerosols comprise liquid droplets carrying non-volatile drug substances or compounds. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the content is extracted using a solvent.