Breath Analysis using photoacoustic combined with fluorescence spectroscopy
Breath Analysis using photoacoustic combined with fluorescence spectroscopy
Analyzing the volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the exhaled breath of an individual can give valuable information on health conditions, especially for various disorders and medical conditions. In the face of pandemics such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, breath analysis that is completely non-invasive and remotely/on-site adaptable for point-of-care (POC) use is of particular interest. We have designed and assembled a photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) setup for breath analysis. In PAS, pulsed laser radiation is incident on a gaseous sample in a chamber of small volume, the absorbed energy by the sample is released as thermal energy, causing a temporary increase in temperature and a consequent increase in gas pressure. This pressure wave creates a sound wave that can be detected using a microphone. The sensor has got ppb detection sensitivity for standard VOCs. The method has been validated using clinically proven breath samples from cohorts of Asthma, COPD, and Common Cold samples. The PAS method adapted is highly objective and allows PCA/ANN/AI/ML methods to provide observer-independent results. For the collective information of absorption and fluorescence, a bi-modal PAS-LIF setup is designed and assembled for simultaneous measurement. Experiments are in process for the diagnosis of lung diseases with a focus on lung cancer.
Nidheesh V. R., Aswini Kumar Mohapatra, Unnikrishnan V. K., Rajeev Kumar Sinha, Rajesh Nayak, Vasudevan Baskaran Kartha & Santhosh Chidangil (2021) Breath analysis for the screening and diagnosis of diseases, Applied Spectroscopy Reviews, 56:8-10, 702-732
Nidheesh V. R., Aswini Kumar Mohapatra, Unnikrishnan V. K., Vasudevan Baskaran Kartha & Santhosh Chidangil Post-COVID syndrome screening through breath analysis using electronic nose technology. Anal Bioanal Chem 414, 3617–3624 (2022).
Nidheesh V. R., Aswini Kumar Mohapatra, Rajesh Nayak, Unnikrishnan VK, Kartha VB, Santhosh Chidangil. UV laser-based photoacoustic breath analysis for the diagnosis of respiratory diseases: Detection of Asthma. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2022 Nov
Nidheesh VR, Mohapatra AK, Nayak R, Unnikrishnan VK, Kartha VB, Chidangil S. Bimodal UV photoacoustic and fluorescence sensor for breath analysis. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2023 March