FT-IR breath test in the diagnosis and control of treatment of methanol intoxications.

A portable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) multicomponent point-of-care analyzer was tested for the diagnosis of methanol intoxications. Breath analysis with FT-IR was fast and easy, and no sample preparation was needed. The analyzer was adequately sensitive and accurate in detecting and quantitating clinically relevant amounts of ethanol and methanol in the breath of seriously ill patients. FT-IR spectrometry was also suitable for nearly on-line monitoring of the exhaled ethanol and methanol during hemodialysis. The breath analysis results correlated well with blood samples. The FT-IR method used also has a traceable calibration to physical properties of the analyte, and the measured spectra can be saved for later analysis.

The use of low-resolution FT-IR spectrometry for the analysis of alcohols in breath.

Fast and reliable diagnostic methods are needed for detection or exclusion of industrial solvents as a cause of intoxication. Analyzing human breath reveals the presence of any volatile substance. A portable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) multicomponent point-of-care analyzer was developed for exhaled breath. The analyzer proved to be accurate and precise in laboratory tests for simultaneous measurement of methanol and ethanol in water. Ethanol, in addition to normal contents of breath, was simultaneously analyzed in human experiments, and the results correlated well with blood samples. FT-IR method has a traceable calibration to physical properties of the analyte. The measured spectra can also be saved and analyzed later. Breath analysis with FT-IR is fast and easy, and no preparation of the sample is needed.