title: Detection of volatile organic compounds indicative of human presence in the air.
abstract: Volatile organic compounds were collected and analyzed from a variety of indoor and outdoor air samples to test whether human-derived compounds can be readily detected in the air and if they can be associated with human occupancy or presence. Compounds were captured with thermal desorption tubes and then analyzed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Isoprene, a major volatile organic compound in exhaled breath, was shown to be the best indicator of human presence. Acetone, another major breath-borne compound, was higher in unoccupied or minimally occupied areas than in human-occupied areas, indicating that its majority may be derived from exogenous sources. The association of endogenous skin-derived compounds with human occupancy was not significant. In contrast, numerous compounds that are found in foods and consumer products were detected at elevated levels in the occupied areas. Our results revealed that isoprene and many exogenous volatile organic compounds consumed by humans are emitted at levels sufficient for detection in the air, which may be indicative of human presence.
authors.affiliation: The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.|Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Jae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: InfoSciTex Corporation, Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Maomian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjay A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gogate
authors.affiliation: UES, Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sage A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rinehardt
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Brandy S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Claude C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Grigsby
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Fairborn, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Darrin K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000032:analysis; D000388:Air; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002070:Butadienes / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D045782:Hemiterpenes / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010420:Pentanes / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012119:Respiration; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C005059:isoprene; D000096:Acetone
keywords: Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry; Human emission; Isoprene; Volatile organic compounds