Portable Device for Measuring Breath Acetone Based on Sample Preconcentration and Cavity Enhanced Spectroscopy.

A portable and compact device is demonstrated for measuring acetone in breath samples. The device features a 7 cm long high finesse optical cavity as an optical sensor that is coupled to a miniature adsorption preconcentrator containing 0.5 g of polymer material. Acetone is trapped out of breath and released into the optical cavity where it is probed by a near-infrared diode laser operating at ∼1670 nm. With an optical cavity mirror reflectivity of 99.994%, a limit of detection of 159 ppbv (1σ) is demonstrated on samples from breath bags. Initial results on direct breath sampling are presented with a precision of 100 ppbv. The method is validated with measurements made using an ion-molecule reaction mass spectrometer. Data are presented on elevated breath acetone from two individuals following an overnight fast and exercise, and from a third individual during several days of routine behavior.

In situ nanoparticle sizing with zeptomole sensitivity.

We present the basis for an entirely new approach to in situ nanoparticle sizing. Nanoparticles containing just 12 zeptomoles (1 zeptomole = 10(-21) moles) of silver, are detected via in situ particle coulometry. These stochastic charge measurements correspond to the transfer of only 7000-8000 electrons, yielding direct information relating to the individual nanoparticle volumes. The resulting particle size distribution (average equivalent radius 5 nm) obtained via nanoparticle coulometry is in excellent correspondence with that attained from TEM analysis. Moreover, the measurable particle size limit by this electrochemical method is shown to be significantly below that of more common optical nanoparticle tracking techniques, and as such can be viewed as a potential disruptive nano-technology.