Thermoelectric sensor for analytes in a gas and related method

• US 9,429,578 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invoy Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Invoy Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Ahmad, Lubna
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, DENNIS MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/274,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20150065365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0276 comprising a thermosensitive compound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/26 involving oxidoreductase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/54 involving glucose or galactose
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/06 by intermittent summation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/01 specially adapted for biological cells, e.g. blood cells investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions in blood G01N15/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0205 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/06 Investigating concentration of particle suspensions by weighing G01N5/00; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0046 in gas, e.g. smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/71 thermally excited
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/75 Systems in which material is subjected to a chemical reaction, the progress or the result of the reaction being investigated systems in which material is burnt in a flame or plasma G01N21/72, G01N21/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/783 for analysing gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/00 Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/20 : by investigating the development of heat, i.e. calorimetry, e.g. by measuring specific heat, by measuring thermal conductivity calorimeters per se G01K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/4813 : concerning the measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/4873 : for a flowing, e.g. gas sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/26 : by investigating electrochemical variables; by using electrolysis or electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/042 : Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, e.g. diabetes, glucose metabolism
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/044 : Hyperlipemia or hypolipemia, e.g. dyslipidaemia, obesity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/347 : Renal failures; Glomerular diseases; Tubulointerstitial diseases, e.g. nephritic syndrome, glomerulonephritis; Renovascular diseases, e.g. renal artery occlusion, nephropathy
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/50 : Determining the risk of developing a disease
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/22 : using chemical indicators G01N31/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/224 : for investigating presence of dangerous gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 : of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 : Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/50 : Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms, compositions or test papers therefor; processes for forming such compositions, condition responsive control in microbiological or enzymological processes C12Q
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/64 : involving ketones
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6893 : related to diseases not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/98 : involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/172307 : Cyanide or isocyanide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/175383 : Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/196666 : Carbon containing compound [e.g., vinylchloride, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/200833 : Carbonyl, ether, aldehyde or ketone containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/202499 : Formaldehyde or acetone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/203332 : Hydroxyl containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/204165 : Ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/212 : Aromatic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/214 : Acyclic [e.g., methane, octane, isoparaffin, etc.]

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for sensing an analyte in a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid collecting device configured to collect the fluid containing the analyte; a fluid input in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device configured to input the fluid containing the analyte into the fluid collecting device, an analyte interactant in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device, wherein the analyte interactant, when contacted by the analyte, reacts to cause a first change in thermal energy within the fluid collecting device; a modulator that causes a second change in thermal energy; a thermal sensing device comprising at least one pyroelectric device thermally coupled to the fluid collecting device to generate a first signal in response to at least one of the first change in thermal energy and the second change in thermal energy; a control device operatively coupled to the thermal sensing device and the modulator that generates a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte. A related method also is disclosed.

Claims

1. A biosensor for detecting at least one analyte in breath, the biosensor comprising:

a) a capture apparatus; and

b) a thermoelectric sensor without a power source, the sensor comprising a layer of at least one analyte interactant that increases or decreases in temperature and at least one thermopile, said at least one thermopile having a first contact pad and a second contact pad; and

wherein the passage of breath containing the analyte through the capture apparatus brings the analyte into contact with the interactant and produces or consumes heat, which is transmitted to the thermopile that then produces a voltage difference and measures the analyte.

2. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the interactant is selected from a chemical reactant, catalyst, adsorbent, absorbent, vaporization agent or a combination thereof.

3. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the biosensor further comprises multiple thermopiles, each having the same or different interactants.

4. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the interactant is selected from sodium hypochlorite sodium monochloroisocyanurate, sodium trichloroisocyanurate, salt, nitrosyl chloride, chloroform or a combination thereof.

5. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor also communicates with an electronic display, noise maker, other output or a combination thereof.

6. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the analyte is acetone, whose presence indicates the presence of ketones in the bloodstream.

7. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the analyte is alcohol and the interactant is selected from chromium trioxide, alcohol dehydrogenase, alcohol oxidase, acetoalcohol oxidase or a combination thereof.

8. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the interactants are specific for ethanol and alkanes, thereby indicating various pathologies, such as breast cancer and transplant rejection.

9. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the thermopile comprises metals, alloys, semiconductor materials, or liquid thermoelectric materials.

10. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the analyte interactant comprises biologically active materials comprising cells, cell organelles, microorganisms or genetically modified organisms.

14. The biosensor of claim 1, wherein the biosensor further comprises

c) a microprocessor attached to first ends of a first lead and a second lead, the first lead having a second end attached to said first thermopile contact pad and the second lead having a second end attached to said second thermopile contact pad,

whereby the voltage difference produced by the thermopile is registered in the microprocessor, which converts the voltage so as to measure the analyte.

15. The biosensor of claim 14, wherein multiple thermopiles, each having the same or different interactants, are each independently connected to the microprocessor via two leads.

11. A method of detecting an analyte in breath by thermoelectric sensor, the method comprising

a) providing a thermoelectric sensor without a power source, the sensor comprising

i) a layer of at least one analyte interactant that when combined with the analyte, gives off or consumes heat;

and

ii) at least one thermopile to which the heat change is transferred, which then registers a voltage difference, the at least one thermopile having a first contact pad and a second contact pad;

b) passing a breath sample containing the airborne analyte over the thermoelectric sensor; and

c) indicating the presence or quantity of the analyte.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step a of providing the thermoelectric sensor comprises providing an analyte interactant specific for acetone and step c comprises a display indicating the presence of acetone, whereby lipid metabolism is indicated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the provided thermoelectric sensor has multiple thermopiles, each having the same or different analyte interactants, whereby the presence of single or multiple analytes are indicated.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the thermoelectric sensor provided in step a. further comprises:

iii) a microprocessor attached to first ends of a first lead and a second lead, the first lead having a second end attached to the first thermopile contact pad and the second lead having a second end attached to the second thermopile contact pad, the microprocessor also communicating with a signal device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the provided thermoelectric sensor has multiple thermopiles, each having the same or different analyte interactants and each being connected to the microprocessor by two leads, whereby the presence of single or multiple analytes are indicated.