System and method for breath sampling and breath analysis

8:

• A method of breath analysis comprising:
• a. placing a sampling disc devised with an adsorbent in the proximity of exhalation openings of a test person by a breath sampling apparatus configured for collecting, from the exhalation breath of a test subject, a sample of substances on a said sampling disc devised with an adsorbent, wherein the breath sampling apparatus comprises a headset having a holder for a said sampling disc and the holder being arranged on the headset such that the holder is adjustable to be placed in said proximity of exhalation openings of a test person when carrying the headset;
• b. receiving exhalation breath on the sampling disc for a predetermined period of for example about 1 hour;
• c. collecting a sample of substances from the exhalation breath by adsorption on the sampling disc, wherein the adsorbed amount and composition of substances corresponds to the average amount and composition of substances exhaled during a length of time;
• d. placing the sampling disc with the collected substances in a desorption vessel, wherein the desorption vessel having a main casing and a top lid, the desorption vessel having an interior adapted to accommodate a said sampling disc and further being provided with an inlet port for inlet of an inert gas and an outlet port for outlet of desorbed substances from the interior of the desorption vessel, and wherein the desorption vessel comprises a slidable lid adapted to selectively partition the interior of the desorption vessel into two chambers when fully inserted, such that a first chamber, preferably having a small volume, is formed in the desorption vessel to be able to accommodate a sampling disc, and a second chamber, preferably having a larger volume;
• such that said second chamber is fully exposed to a sampling disc placed in the first chamber when the slidable lid is extracted and such that said second chamber is substantially unaffected by a sampling disc placed in the first chamber when the slidable lid is fully inserted;
• e. releasing by thermal desorption the collected substances from the sampling disc in the desorption vessel by heating in an inert atmosphere;
• f. preparing the sample by adsorption of selected analytes among the sample of substances;
• g. analyzing said selected analytes for example by gas chromatography.

15:

• A breath sample preparation apparatus comprising a desorption vessel having a main casing and a top lid, the desorption vessel having an interior adapted to accommodate a sampling disc devised with an adsorbent and further being provided with an inlet port for inlet of an inert gas and an outlet port for outlet of desorbed substances from the interior of the desorption vessel;
• and
• wherein the desorption vessel comprises a slidable lid adapted to selectively partition the interior of the desorption vessel into two chambers when fully inserted, such that a first chamber, preferably having a small volume, is formed in the desorption vessel to be able to accommodate a sampling disc, and a second chamber, preferably having a larger volume;
• such that said second chamber is fully exposed to a sampling disc placed in the first chamber when the slidable lid is extracted and that said second chamber is substantially unaffected by a sampling disc placed in the first chamber when the slidable lid is fully inserted.