Determination of aldehydes in human breath by on-fibre derivatization, solid-phase microextraction and GC–MS

• Published in: Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences, 2007-12, Vol.860 (1), p.86-91
• Main Authors: Svensson, Sophie, Lärstad, Mona, Broo, Klas, Olin, Anna-Carin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aldehydes; Aldehydes - analysis; Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Analytisk kemi; Asthma - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; biomarkers; Breath analysis; Breath Tests - methods; chromatography-mass spectrometry; condensate; exhaled breath; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry - methods; GC–MS; General pharmacology; human blood; Humans; Lipid peroxidation; Medical Biotechnology (with a focus on Cell Biology (including Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy); Medical sciences; Medicinsk bioteknologi (med inriktning mot cellbiologi (inklusive stamcellsbiologi), molekylärbiologi, mikrobiologi, biokemi eller biofarmaci); Pharmacology. Drug treatments; pulmonary-disease; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Solid Phase Microextraction - methods; Solid-phase microextraction; volatile organic-compounds
• ISSN: 1570-0232; 1873-376X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2007.10.021

A GC–MS method for the simultaneous determination of hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal and decanal in exhaled breath was established and validated. The aldehydes were derivatized on PDMS/DVB fibres using O-2,2,4,5,6-(pentafluorobenzyl) hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA) as the headspace derivatization reagent. The resultant oximes were quantified by GC–MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The method provides detection limits of 0.01–0.03 nM for the aldehydes, with a linear response in the concentration range 0.002–20 nM. Within-day precision values for the five aldehydes at 0.02–0.04 nM and 0.2–0.4 nM were in the ranges: 3–9% and 3–8%, respectively; the corresponding between-day precision values were 11–22% and 10–24%. Exhaled breath samples could be stored at −20 °C for 48 h.