Portable GC Detector for COVID Diagnostics

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop a portable gas chromatography-differential mobility spectrometry (GC-DMS) system capable of diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infections from exhaled breath samples. The study sought to establish a noninvasive, rapid, and accurate testing method as an alternative to conventional diagnostic tools.

Materials/Methods: Data were obtained through the combined use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-DMS to analyze exhaled breath vapor compounds. Breath samples were collected from hundreds of participants under an IRB-approved protocol, including both asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals as well as healthy COVID-19 negative controls. Demographic information such as age, gender, height, weight, and symptoms at the time of sampling was also collected to support data analysis and model development.

Outcome/Impact: The study demonstrated that integrating GC-MS and GC-DMS analysis of breath vapor compounds could support the identification of volatile biomarkers associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The intended outcome was to validate a portable GC-DMS device as a feasible, noninvasive diagnostic platform for rapid COVID-19 detection.