Despite active research in the non-invasive chemical analysis of exhaled breath condensate (EBC), these diagnosis techniques are not standardized. There are unexplained fluctuations in the disease biomarkers measured in EBC across various collection methods. We are investigating the heat and mass transfer phenomena occurring in EBC collection devices during sampling in order to elucidate these discrepancies. Identifying and understanding these phenomena will help standardize the collection process, thus making the method more reliable. Issues under investigation include the characterization of the effect of the various, patient dependent, flow regimes on the condensation process and the description of the fate of volatile and non-volatile components during the sampling process (including multiphase flow effects).

This is a collaboration with Prof. C. Davis at UC Davis.

UC Davis/J-P Delplanque (2012)