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An improved method for collecting breath for the assay of acetaldehyde.

Authors :
Phillips M
Hensley P
Balter RA
Cohan SL
Source :
Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research [Alcohol Clin Exp Res] 1984 May-Jun; Vol. 8 (3), pp. 293-6.
Publication Year :
1984

Abstract

An improved method is described for the collection of breath for the subsequent assay of acetaldehyde and other volatile components. Breath is collected in a Pyrex gas-collecting tube sealed at both ends with Teflon taps. Prior to collection or assay of the samples, this tube is heated to 72 degrees C; breath is sampled for assay by piercing a rubber septum on a sideport with the needle of a similarly heated gas-tight syringe, and injected into a gas chromatograph (GC). The advantages of this system are: (1) Avoidance of the artefacts encountered in the assay of acetaldehyde in the blood; (2) suitability for sample collection at a site remote from the GC laboratory; (3) avoidance of sample loss by leakage, contamination, or partitioning into water condensed from breath; and (4) compatibility with a "nondedicated" GC lacking any special gas-collecting circuitry. A typical study of a normal human volunteer is described, demonstrating the rise and fall of the concentration of acetaldehyde and ethanol in the breath following the ingestion of an oral dose of ethanol.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0145-6008
Volume :
8
Issue :
3
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
6377947
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.1984.tb05514.x