Rapid Biomonitoring of Volatile Toxins in Human Samples (BIO-VOTO)

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biomonitoring measures chemicals and their metabolites in a person's biological samples, such as blood or urine. It indicates the amount of exposure to chemicals by humans from breathing, touching and ingestion combined from sources including but not limited to air, soil, water, dust, and food. Through the National Biomonitoring Program (NBP) and The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the CDC has established gold standard methods to measure over 450 chemicals and nutritional markers in blood, serum, urine, breast milk and meconium. However, a portable and versatile system is needed to analyze multiple analytes from similar range of samples at the point of sample collection to significantly increase detection accuracy. Additionally, alternative lower cos method is needed to allow large population (epidemiology) studies in order to verify current standards and, if necessary, formulate new guidelines for exposure. We designed an integrated instrument to detect volatile toxin in human samples for rapid biomonitoring that can measure Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) concentration in biological samples with a portable, low cost, deployable device, with the sensitivity and specificity similar to a bench top GC-MS (gold standard) system. In preliminary studies, we have demonstrated the novel concept of the device and its ability to accurately measure volatile organics in human plasma. The project milestone for successful completion is the demonstration of a statistically significant correlation of device readout with standard measures of GC-MS in a double-blind study. To achieve this goal, we will build upon our prototype device, which has shown significant sensitivity in rapidly detecting organic compounds in plasma, by implementing software, and hardware changes that would lead to sensitivities and specificities that would enable the measurement of trace biomonitor of VOCs. Successful completion of this work will allow us to proceed to more rigorous testing of the proposed device for ultimate use in biomonitor of VOCs and other toxins in a variety of human samples.