title: Breath-by-breath measurement of oxygen using a compact optical sensor.
abstract: We report on the development of a novel optical oxygen sensor for breath monitoring applications using the technique of phase fluorometry. The principal design criteria are that the system be compact, lightweight, and employ a disposable sensing element (while performing competitively with current commercial analyzers). The oxygen-sensitive, luminescent ruthenium complex Ru[dpp](3)(2+) is encapsulated in a sol-gel matrix and deposited onto a custom-designed, polymer sensor chip that provides significantly improved luminescence capture efficiency. The performance of the sensor module is characterized using a commercially available lung simulator. A resolution of 0.03% O(2) is achieved, which compares well with commercial breath monitoring systems and, when combined with its immunity to humidity and ability to respond effectively across a broad range of breathing rates, makes this device an extremely promising candidate for the development of a practical, low-cost biodiagnostic tool.
authors.affiliation: Dublin City University, National Centre for Sensor Research, Optical Sensors Laboratory, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. conor. burke@dcu.ie
authors.forename: Conor S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wencel
authors.forename: Aisling K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: McEvoy
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: MacCraith
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008904:Miniaturization; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen