Fabric-Phase Sorptive Membrane Array As a Noninvasive In Vivo Sampling Device For Human Exposure To Different Compounds

Abstract

This study introduces an innovative device for the noninvasive sampling and chromatographic analysis of different compounds present in exhaled breath aerosol (EBA). The new sampling device, especially in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic that forced many countries to impose mandatory facemasks, allows an easy monitoring of the subject’s exposure to different compounds they may come in contact with, actively or passively. The project combines the advantages of a fabric-phase sorptive membrane (FPSM) as an in vivo sampling device with a validated LC-MS/MS screening procedure able to monitor more than 739 chemicals with an overall analysis time of 18 min. The project involves the noninvasive in vivo sampling of the EBA using an FPSM array inserted inside an FFP2 mask. The study involved 15 healthy volunteers, and no restrictions were imposed during or prior to the sampling process regarding the consumption of drinks, food, or drugs. The FPSM array-LC-MS/MS approach allowed us to effectively exploit the advantages of the two complementary procedures (the convenient sampling by an FPSM array and the rapid analysis by LC-MS/MS), obtaining a powerful and green tool to carry out rapid screening analyses for human exposure to different compounds. The flexible fabric substrate, the sponge-like porous architecture of the high-efficiency sol–gel sorbent coating, the availability of a large cache of sorbent coatings, including polar, nonpolar, mixed mode, and zwitterionic phases, the easy installation into the facemask, and the possibility of sampling without interrupting regular activities provide FPSMs unparalleled advantages over other sampling techniques, and their applications are expected to expand to many other clinical or toxicological studies.

Fast Quantitative LC-MS/MS Determination of Illicit Substances in Solid and Liquid Unknown Seized Samples

“…Extraction/Dilution and LC-MS/MS Procedures. First, the chromatographic separation reported in another study 17 for the simultaneous analysis of more than 739 chemicals was tested. By applying the same chromatographic parameters, it was observed that the characteristics required, such as focusing the analytes in tight peaks to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio and consequently the sensitivity, avoiding the presence of matrix effects by resolving possible interferents through chromatography, and increasing the parameters for the correct identification considering also the reproducibility of the retention time, are maintained in the analyses of both liquid and solid seized samples.…”

Ultrafiltration-Based extraction of Ibuprofen from human plasma samples and HPLC analysis: developing an innovative bioanalytical analysis method

“…According to previous studies and some experiments [18,[21][22][23], it was agreed to use acetonitrile-potassium phosphate buffer (pH: 3.0) and its mixture (56:44, v/v) as the mobile phase. A C18 column [Waters XSELECT HSS C18 (100 x 4.6 mm, 3.5 µm), PN: 186004767 SN: 01113431413401] was used for analysis.…”

Recent advances in facemask devices for in vivo sampling of human exhaled breath aerosols and inhalable environmental exposures

“…The feature of paper-in-facemask sampling is that adsorbed analytes can be directly analyzed for rapid screening. Locatelli et al [ 80 ] further developed a fabric-phase sorptive membrane (FPSM) array in facemask (FPSM array-in-facemask) to collect human exhaled breath metabolites for subsequently LC-MS analysis. The FPSM array-in-facemask showed that different sorbent coatings, including polar, nonpolar, and mixed mode, and zwitterionic phases, can be composed the powerful array to capturing a wide range of analytes regarding the metabolites and consumption of drinks, food, or drugs.…”