The Effect of Heat on Human Volatile Organic Compound Analysis

Abstract

The Effect of Heat on Human Volatile Organic Compound Analysis.Human volatile organic compounds (hVOCs) are organic gases with high vapor pressure that are emitted through a human's breath or sweat. Recent investigations have shown that hVOCs can be used to diagnose diseases and distinguish between individuals. This study aimed to examine the effect of temperature on the production and differentiation of hVOCs emitted by human skin, and to test a new method for capturing the VOCs. In order to collect the hVOC samples, we used a custom made ‘HotPod', which resembles an old-fashioned telephone booth, but is designed to control temperature, relative humidity, and permit the collection of hVOCs. To perform this investigation, two test subjects (‘Participant 1' and ‘Participant 2') stood in a HotPod for a specific time period, with the HotPod set to either 20 oC or 40 oC. To ensure the HotPod was functioning consistently, an internal standard (IS-1) was placed in the HotPod along with the study Participant. After the specified time period, the HotPod vacuum was activated to capture the emitted hVOCs into a sealed bag. A second internal standard (IS-2) was added to the bag then the contents examined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with Thermal Desorption (TD).