title: Electrochemistry provides a point-of-care approach for the marker indicative of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of cystic fibrosis patients.
abstract: It has recently been demonstrated that 2-aminoacetophenone (2-AA) is a chemical indicator in exhaled air/breath of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection associated with progressive life threatening decline of lung function in cystic fibrosis sufferers [Scott-Thomas et al., BMC Pulm. Med., 2010, 10, 56]. Currently the detection of 2-AA involves laboratory based instrumentation such as mass spectrometry and a hand-held point-of-care type breath device would be ideal in providing real-time results within seconds to accelerate patient care decision-making processes. To this end, we demonstrate proof-of-concept that the chemical marker 2-AA, indicative of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, can be measured using electrochemical based sensing strategies. A range of commercially available electrode substrates are explored demonstrating for the first time that 2-AA is electrochemically active within aqueous based solutions providing an (electro)analytical signal. Glassy carbon, boron-doped diamond and platinum electrodes have been explored towards the electrochemical oxidation of 2-AA. Electrode fouling is observed requiring pre-treatment in the form of mechanical polishing between voltammetric scans and measurements. To alleviate this, screen-printed graphite electrodes are shown to be a more viable option for implementation into breath sensing devices and overcome the fouling problem since due to their low cost and disposable nature, a new electrode can be used for each measurement. The analytical utility of the platinum, screen-printed and boron-doped diamond electrodes were found to correspond to 6.85, 7.66 and 4.86 mM respectively. The challenges associated with the electrochemical sensing of 2-AA in breath that need to be overcome are discussed. This generic approach where electrochemical based technology is used to provide measurements for chemical markers in exhaled air/breath for medical diagnostics termed electrochemical breathprints (ec-breathprints), has the potential to be developed into a hand-held point-of-care breath diagnostic tool for identifying Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in exhaled air/breath.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and the Environment, Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, Lancs, UK. c.banks@mmu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jonathan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Metters
authors.forename: Dimitrios K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kampouris
authors.forename: Craig E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Banks
mesh_terms: D000098:Acetophenones / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000098:Acetophenones; D015415:Biomarkers; C055495:2-aminoacetophenone