Transdermal sampling strip and method for analyzing transdermally emitted gases

A method for measuring the transdermal emission of hydrogen sulfide and/or nitric oxide through the skin of a biological subject, comprising

• a) sealably mounting multiple dermal sampling strips on the skin of different limbs of the subject, wherein each dermal sampling strip includes a sample collection chamber that comprises (i) a skin contact side that is in contact with the skin when the dermal sampling strip is mounted and (ii) one or more walls, the skin contact side and the wall(s) together defining a vapor space for collecting transdermally emitted gas, wherein the skin contact side has one or more openings which create one or more fluid paths between the skin and the vapor space for collecting the transdermally emitted gas, and each dermal sampling strip is flexible and bends to conform to the surface of the skin to form a seal between the skin and the sample collection chamber;
• b) collecting the transdermally emitted gas in the sample collection chamber of each of the dermal sampling strips;
• and
• c) separately analyzing for the presence of hydrogen sulfide and/or nitric oxide in the transdermally emitted gas collected in the sample collection chamber of each of the dermal sampling strips and obtaining differential rates of emission of hydrogen sulfice and/or nitric oxide transdermally emitted through the skin of the different limbs by separately contacting the transdermally emitted gas collected in the sample collection chamber of each of the dermal sampling strips with a working electrode of an electrocatalytic cell, and measuring an electrical signal created by a reaction of hydrogen sulfide and/or nitric oxide in the transdermally emitted gas at the working electrode, and further wherein the hydrogen sulfide and/or nitric oxide in the transdermally emitted gas is transported from the skin to the working electrode without passing through a diffusion barrier.