Packed Bed Breath Capture for Rapid Proteoform Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic methods for respiratory diseases, such as COVID-19 and tuberculosis, are costly, time-consuming, and not suitable for rapid, low-cost detection in resource-limited settings, and there is a lack of efficient systems to collect and concentrate trace amounts of analytes from exhaled breath for accurate diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A system using packed bed columns with adsorbent materials to capture aerosolized truncated proteoforms in exhaled breath, coupled with mass spectrometry for rapid analysis, which includes a sample collection system with a pump, CO2 sensor, and trap, and an analytical device for MALDI-TOFMS to identify specific proteoforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current diagnostic methods (sputum, blood, nasal swabs) are used for respiratory disease detection, then diagnostic accuracy is maintained, but cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates specific truncated proteoforms from complex exhaled breath samples using packed bed columns with selective adsorbent materials. This extraction approach enables focused detection of disease-specific biomarkers, achieving rapid diagnosis within minutes while maintaining diagnostic accuracy by targeting only the most relevant proteoform signatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the diagnostic parameter from traditional methods analyzing bulk samples (sputum, blood) to detecting specific truncated proteoforms with distinct mass-to-charge ratios. This parameter change enables rapid identification of disease states through mass spectrometry, reducing diagnosis time while preserving accuracy through selective biomarker detection.
2Reliability
If current diagnostic methods are used, then disease detection capability is achieved, but cost and complexity of the system increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the diagnostic system into distinct functional modules: exhaled breath collection, packed bed column separation, mass spectrometry detection, and data analysis. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture, reducing complexity while maintaining reliable disease detection capability through specialized function in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces packed bed columns with selective adsorbent materials as an intermediary between breath sample collection and mass spectrometry analysis. This intermediary component pre-concentrates and purifies truncated proteoforms from complex breath matrices, enabling reliable detection while simplifying the mass spectrometry analysis step and reducing overall system complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If trace amounts of analytes in exhaled breath are analyzed directly, then sample volume is minimized, but detection sensitivity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary concentration and purification of truncated proteoforms using packed bed columns before mass spectrometry analysis. This preliminary action pre-concentrates trace analytes from large volumes of exhaled breath into small volumes, maintaining minimal sample volume requirements while dramatically improving detection sensitivity through pre-enrichment of disease-specific biomarkers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous adsorbent materials in packed bed columns to capture and concentrate truncated proteoforms from exhaled breath. These porous materials provide large surface area for analyte binding, enabling efficient concentration of trace substances from minimal breath samples while maintaining high detection sensitivity through selective adsorption and subsequent elution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, low-cost, and sensitive detection of respiratory diseases, suitable for point-of-care testing, with potential for autonomous operation, reducing the need for expensive reagents and minimizing sample volume requirements.
Implementation Method 1
one or more sample capture elements comprising a packed bed column in each to selectively capture aerosolized truncated proteoforms in the exhaled breath
Implementation Method 2
the pump is configured to draw the exhaled air aerosol into the sample capture element
Implementation Method 3
a trap disposed between the packed bed column and the pump and configured to trap exhaled breath condensate (EBC) comprising at least one of water vapor, volatile organic components, and non-volatile organic components
Implementation Method 4
an analytical device to analyze the truncated proteoforms in the one more liquid samples - MALDI-TOFMS
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices to capture and analyze aerosolized particles such as protein biomarkers and their truncated proteoforms characteristic of a disease, including a respiratory disease, in exhaled breath to enable rapid detection of diseases are disclosed. The disclosed methods and systems selectively capture aerosolized particles using a packed bed column. The captured particles are then eluted using one or more solvents and analyzed using devices including mass spectrometry.