Polymer-Modified Quartz Tuning Forks for Breath Biomarker Sensing †

Abstract

The change in levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) present in exhaled breath can be indicative of bodily disorders. Detection of such low levels of VOCs can allow early detection and diagnosis of diseases. A polymer- modified Quartz Tuning Fork (QTF) is a promising, cost-effective sensor that can detect a change in ppm levels of VOCs exhaled from the breath at room temperature. Acetone and acetaldehyde are biomarkers that are readily exhaled by human beings. Increased levels of these analytes can serve as indicators for toxicity or a wide array of diseases. The present work uses an array of QTFs modified separately using nanomaterials embedded in polystyrene to detect low VOC concentrations present in simulated human breath successfully. The sensor response shows a clear distinction between healthy human breath and breath spiked with varying VOC concentrations (5–400 ppm). The sensor response proves it can potentially serve as an economical and non-invasive tool for disease diagnostics.