Abstract
Recently it has been shown that chemical markers in exhaled air/breath can provide a methodology for the detection of tuberculosis infection. These markers consist of methyl phenylacetate, methyl p-anisate, methyl nicotinate and o-phenylanisole (2-methoxybiphenyl). Current approaches utilise gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) which are useful for centralised testing of breath samples. The World Health Organization (WHO) require a portable, non-invasive diagnostic tool for the screening of tuberculosis infection. In order to meet this, we demonstrate proof-of-concept for the analytical sensing of the identified chemical markers in aqueous solutions using electrochemical based technology. We demonstrate that screen-printed electrochemical sensors can be used as the basis of a diagnostic tool for the electrochemical breathprinting of chemical markers (methyl nicotinate and 2-methoxybiphenyl) useful for the screening of tuberculosis infection. It is hoped that further development will facilitate the potential for a portable, hand-held, non-invasive breath diagnostic tool to be realised.
Highlights
Tuberculosis (TB) is familiar to most as a disease which has plagued global society for time in memoriam
In this paper we explore, for the first time, the potential electrochemical determination of the proposed markers in aqueous solutions which are indicative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in exhaled air/breath using electrochemical based sensing technology
A blank solution of a pH 7 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was used, each biomarker added and the cyclic voltammetric response determined through analysis using cyclic voltammetry using screenprinted electrodes
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is familiar to most as a disease which has plagued global society for time in memoriam. By the western world at least, as less of a threat than it once was, this is a misconception as global incidence rates still run into the millions of cases per annum. The global recorded incidence rate in 2008 was 9.3 million, roughly equivalent to the total. Tuberculosis is a disease generally caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The disease has the ability to manifest in any part of the body, the lungs are the most common reservoir for the bacteria.[2,3] MTB is an airborne bacteria, and spreads rapidly from one person to another through coughing, sneezing and even talking. A single cough generates around 3000 droplet
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