Apparatus and method for monitoring breath acetone and diabetic diagnostics

• US 20070229818A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Duan, Yixiang, Cao, Wenqing
• Granted Patent: US 7,417,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/316
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/443 Emission spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/67 using electric arcs or discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/30 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/28 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring diabetes through breath acetone detection and quantitation employs a microplasma source in combination with a spectrometer. The microplasma source provides sufficient energy to produce excited acetone fragments from the breath gas that emit light. The emitted light is sent to the spectrometer, which generates an emission spectrum that is used to detect and quantify acetone in the breath gas.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sampling line for the injection of a sample of breath gas into the apparatus;

a microplasma source in communication with the sampling line, the microplasma source providing energy to the sample of breath gas sufficient for exciting and fragmenting acetone in the sampled breath gas, whereby light emission is generated;

a power supply for supplying power to the microplasma source; and

a spectrometer in communication with the microplasma source for obtaining an emission spectrum of the light emission.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a separator connected to said sampling line for separating a portion of the sample of breath gas before it enters the microplasma source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fiber optic cable for communicating the light emission from the microplasma source to the spectrometer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a programmable computer in communication with said spectrometer for analyzing an emission spectrum.

5. The apparatus of clam 1, further comprising a gas source that provides plasma gas to the sampling line for combination with a sample injected into the sampling line.

6. A method for monitoring breath gas comprising:

providing sufficient energy from a plasma to a sample of breath gas to fragment and excite acetone in the breath gas, thereby generating light emission from the sample of breath gas;

directing the light emission to a spectrometer to generate an emission spectrum; and

analyzing the emission spectrum to determine the amount of acetone in the sample of breath gas.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plasma comprises a microplasma.

8. A method for monitoring breath acetone, comprising:

sending a sample of breath gas through a plasma to excite and fragment volatile organic compounds in the sample and generate light emission therefrom;

directing at least a portion of the emitted light to a spectrometer;

using the spectrometer to produce a spectrum of the emitted light; and

analyzing the spectrum of the emitted light to determine the amount of breath acetone in the sample.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plasma comprises a microplasma.