Patient, breathe!
Semiconductor films will make a diagnosis by the smell from the mouth
Natalia Pelezneva, Naked Science
Analysis of the composition of exhaled air is one of the promising methods of noninvasive diagnosis of many diseases. With breathing, the human body releases volatile substances, certain concentrations of which indicate a particular disease. Sometimes changes in breathing are noticeable even without special means of analysis, for example, with halitosis. Bad breath can indicate kidney and lung diseases.
Modern diagnostic equipment makes it possible to detect changes in the composition of exhaled air even in the early stages of the disease. To do this, gas analyzers are used – devices that determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of a mixture of gases. Today, these devices are able to detect the smallest concentrations of impurities, the sensitivity of modern gas analyzers can be up to 10 ppt (parts per trillion, 10 parts per trillion).
The disadvantage of gas analyzers for use in medical practice can be considered their high cost and large size. This does not allow you to constantly monitor changes in the composition of exhaled air in patients. Therefore, portable analysis systems are being developed.
Such a development was presented by a group of American scientists. Article by Zhang et al. Solution-Processed Nanoporous Organic Semiconductor Thin Films: Towards Health and Environmental Monitoring of Volatile Markers is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
Photo by L. Brian Stauffer from the University of Illinois press release
Sensors detect disease markers in breath – VM.
The first prototype is aimed at detecting ammonia in the exhaled air, a marker of kidney failure. The basis of the invention is an organic field–effect transistor that determines the presence of ammonia. According to scientists, attempts to analyze the composition of gases using organic semiconductors have already been made, but it was not possible to achieve high sensitivity. The researchers provided their development with deep pores with a diameter from 50 to 700 nm. Thus, it was possible to increase the sensitivity of the device: a new development is able to detect ammonia in a mixture in a ratio of 1 part per billion. The reaction rate also increased. According to scientists, the advantage of their technology is compactness and low cost.
Production of a porous film (from an article in Advanced Functional Materials).
By changing the composition of the material, sensors can be created to detect other components of the exhaled air. Regular monitoring of breathing with the help of such devices will allow patients not to miss dangerous changes and seek medical help in time.
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22.05.2017