Abstract: Analysis of volatile metabolites in a normal or healthy human breath was successfully carried out using a novel approach with an analytical technique that is reproducible and highly sensitive. The goal of this preliminary study was to determine whether in normal human breath intra-individual variation exist in volatile organic compound profiles. Active SPME GCMS was successfully employed to achieve the goal of this study. The results obtained indicate that in breath analysis there is significant natural intra-individual variation in VOCs profiles. Several compounds were detected in all samples collected throughout the day, however, only few were consistently present. Small peak areas from the chromatograms indicate that many of the VOCs in the breath were present in trace concentrations. In male breath, the number of VOCs detected was higher in morning (8a.m) samples and decreased throughout the day whiles in female; the afternoon (2 p.m) samples contained the greater number of VOCs. The chemicals, dimethyl ether, D-limonene, and isopropyl alcohol were present consistently in male breath with D-limonene and isopropyl alcohol present at low concentrations. A high relative standard deviation (0.17-0.72) in VOCs peak areas is an indication that concentration of these compounds changed significantly throughout a typical day. The change in concentrations of dimethyl ether throughout the day was not consistent but that of D-limonene decreased throughout the day whiles that of isopropyl alcohol was high in the morning and remained fairly constant for the rest of the day.
Keywords: Metabolites, reproducible, sensitive, intra-individual, VOCs, active SPME GCMS, chromatograms, relative standard deviation.
Title: Variation in Volatile Organic Compound Content in Normal Human Breath
Author: Lord Famiyeh, Todd Mlsna
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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