Assay for vapor condensates

Abstract

The present invention relates to provide, among other things, the methods, devices, and systems that can simply and quickly collecting and analyzing a tiny amount of vapor condensates (e.g. exhaled breath condensate (EBC)).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A device for collecting and analyzing vapor condensate (VC) sample, comprising:
 a. a collection plate and a cover plate, wherein:   
       the plates are movable relative to each other into different configurations;
  i. one or both plates are flexible; and 
  ii. each of the plates has, on its inner respective surface, a sample contact area for contacting a vapor condensate (VC) sample that contains an analyte; 
  iii. wherein one of the configurations is an open configuration, in which: the two plates are either completely or partially separated apart, and the VC sample is deposited on one or both of the plates; and
 wherein another of the configurations is a closed configuration which is configured after the VC sample deposition in the open configuration; and in the closed configuration: at least a part of the VC sample is between the two plates and in contact with the two plates, and has a thickness that (a) is regulated by the two sample contact surfaces of the plates without using spacers, and (b) is equal to or less than 30 um with a small variation. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . A system is provided herein for rapidly analyzing a vapor condensate sample using a mobile phone comprising:
 a. a device of  claim 1 ;   b. a mobile communication device comprising:
 i. one or a plurality of cameras for the detecting and/or imaging the vapor condensate sample; and 
 ii. electronics, signal processors, hardware and software for receiving and/or processing the detected signal and/or the image of the vapor condensate sample and for remote communication. 
   
     
     
         3 . A method is provided herein for analyzing an analyte in a vapor condensate sample comprising:
 a. obtaining the device of  claim 1 ;   b. depositing the vapor condensate sample onto one or both pates of the device;   c. placing the plates in a closed configuration and applying an external force over at least part of the plates; and   d. analyzing the analyts in the layer of uniform thickness while the plates are the closed configuration.