It is well known fact that the spectrum of vapours emitted by human skin is dominated by fatty acids. Since skin emanations are not very volatile, new possibilities for on-line analysis of these surfaces are being established.

Recent research efforts spearheaded by Juan Fernandez de la Mora, professor from the mechanical engineering department of Yale University, have enabled the development of a novel system to detect the vapors emitted by human skin in real-time. According to these scientists, skin volatiles could be widely studied as potential attractants of mosquitoes and which enable dogs to identify their owners. The research team has developed an electronic nose that is able to detect in real-time settings by sampling vapors released by the skin directly from the ambient gas surrounding the hand and ionizing them by secondary electrospray ionization (SESI). This is further analyzed in a mass spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure source. The researchers observed that this gas-phase approach is complementary to alternative on-line surface ionization methods such as desorption electrospray ionization (DESI).

The unique system was originally created at the Boecillo Technology Park in Valladolid, Spain, and the novelty underlying this technique is that despite the almost nonexistent volatility of fatty acids, which have chains of up to 18 carbon atoms, the electronic nose devised is so sensitive that it can detect them instantaneously. Besides identifying skin vapors, one another important application of the new system is that it is able to detect tiny amounts of explosives. With the unusual speed of analysis feature associated with it, the SESI ionization offers an attractive option to investigate skin fatty acids. The comprehensive studies conducted by Yale university scientists has revealed that a good number of species have sufficient volatility to be detected in real time by commercial atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (API-MS), without the need to utilize active desorption processes such as those taking place in DESI.

The research work has been funded primarily by Sociedad Europea de Analisis Diferencial de Movilidad SL (SAEDM), which is a Spanish organization aimed at developing a new generation of analytical instruments able to detect trace elements at the subfemtogram level, found both in the atmosphere or within the body fluids.

Details:

Juan Fernandez de la Mora

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Yale University, Mason Laboratory

Room 6, New Haven,CT 06511

USA

Phone: +1-203-432-4347

Fax: +1-203-432-7654

E-Mail: juan.delamora@yale.edu

URL: www.seas.yale.edu

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