Ben Henderson at the 2020 Breath Biopsy Conference

The 2021 Breath Biopsy Conference is scheduled for 12th & 13th October. Click the button to express interest in the next Breath Biopsy Conference:

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Talk Abstract:

One of the main challenges currently facing breath research is a lack of standardization in sampling and analysis. A benchmarking test has been proposed to explore disparities in breath research across different analytical platforms. The Peppermint Test utilizes a standardized intervention – in the form of ingestion of encapsulated peppermint oil – and proposes a study protocol for a targeted analysis in exhaled breath of volatile peppermint oil compounds. This presentation focuses on the results of the Peppermint Test for Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS). The key volatiles contained in the peppermint oil (monoterpenes (limonene, α- and β-pinene), 1,8-cineole, menthol, menthone and menthofuran) were considered. The washout characteristics of these volatiles in the body through their detection in exhaled breath at set intervals following the ingestion of the capsule was evaluated. Breath samples from 47 individuals measured with 5 PTR-MS instruments were included. All compounds showed characteristic washout profiles, except for menthol. Benchmark values were calculated for each of these compounds using the lower 95% confidence interval of the linear regression analysis of the time to washout. Large inter- and intra-dataset variations in the washout profiles were observed, suggesting that biological variability plays a key role in how the compounds are absorbed, metabolized and excreted from the body via breath.

Ben Henderson¹ (presenting author), Gitte Slingers^2,3, Michele Pedrotti^4,5, Giovanni Pugliese⁶, Michaela Malásková⁷, Luke Bryant⁸, Tommaso Lomonaco⁹, Silvia Ghimenti⁹, Sergi Moreno¹⁰, Rebecca Cordell⁸, Frans J. M. Harren¹, Jochen Schubert⁶, Chris A Ma,yhew^7,11, Michael Wilde⁸, Fabio Di Francesco⁹, Gudrun Koppen², Jonathan D Beauchamp¹², Simona M Cristescu¹ on behalf of the Peppermint Consortium
1 Department of Molecular and Laser Physics, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
2 Flemish Institute for Technological Research, Health Unit, Mol, Belgium
3 Hasselt University, Faculty of Medicine and Life Science, Limburg Clinical Research Center, Diepenbeek, Belgium
4 Food Quality and Nutrition; Research and Innovation Centre, Edmund Mach Foundation and Wageningen University, Wageningnen, the Netherlands
5 Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Center, Department of Food Quality and Nutrition – San Michele all’Adige, Trentino, Italy
6 Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center, Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
7 Institute for Breath Research, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 66, A-2020, Innsbruck, Austria
8 Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK
9 Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, Universita di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
10 National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
11 Tiroler Krebsforschungsinstitut (TKFI), Innrain 66, A-2020, Innsbruck, Austria
12 Department of Sensory Analytics, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany

Speaker Biography:

Ben Henderson is an Early Stage Researcher in the Marie Curie IMPACT network. The network focuses on soft chemical ionization mass spectrometry (SCIMS) techniques.

Ben is currently a PhD student at the Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands in the exhaled biomarkers research group under the supervision of Dr. Simona Cristescu. His focus has been on using SCIMS techniques related to exhaled breath analysis, specifically working with Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS). He has worked on several projects throughout my PhD, the main project being the Peppermint Initiative; an international collaboration between research institutes taking the first steps towards standardization. His presentation will give an overview of the last four years regarding the peppermint initiative and PTR-MS. Ben is coming to the end of his PhD and says he has had a great time learning about the benefits of breath analysis. He is thrilled to see how the community is growing and helping each other to find new and exciting applications for exhaled breath analysis.

The 2021 Breath Biopsy Conference is scheduled for 12th & 13th October. Click the button to express interest in the next Breath Biopsy Conference:

Express Interest