Letter: Comparison of pyridine and pyrazine derivatives distributions in exhaled breath and exhaled breath condensate after smoking.

Abstract

Molecular mass distributions of series of compounds found in exhaled breath after smoking are compared between the direct-breath analysis by extractive electrospray ionization and the analysis of exhaled breath condensate by direct-infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Although all the analyzed series of compounds are detected by both methods, their relative abundances are different. A number-average mass is used as a quantitative characteristic of the series. It is shown that this value is close for the distributions of the series of compounds in the mass spectrum of exhaled breath condensate and the mass spectrum obtained by summation of direct mass spectra over the breathing time.