Suitability and acceptability of a new method of exhaled breath sampling using a highly porous carbon material in children

<bold>Background:</bold> There is a need for new non-invasive diagnostic methods in the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma. <bold>Aim:</bold> To develop a method for collection of exhaled breath samples using a novel highly porous carbon material (HPCM) with sorption properties in school children. Materials and methods HPCM was prepared, analysed, fragmented and placed in mouthpieces according to the patented procedure. Exhaled breath samples were collected from a group of healthy children (n=12) and a group of children with physician diagnosed asthma (n=10). Each child exhaled 5, 10 and 15 times into a mouthpiece with HPCM. The exhaled air was also collected using Tedlar® bags. The procedure was followed by an acceptability questionnaire. The samples were analysed and the results compared according to the method used to collect the exhaled air sample and the group studied, using GC-MS and advanced IT software. <bold>Results:</bold> The structural and chemical properties of the HPCM confirmed its suitability for exhaled breath sampling. The samples were successfully collected from all study participants using an HPCM and Tedlar® bags. Children reported that the HPCM method was easier, quicker and less tiring than the Tedlar® bag method. The minimum number of exhalations required to saturate the HPCM was 10. GC-MS analysis and a neural network were used to demonstrate the difference in exhaled breath composition between the studied groups. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> The use of HPCM to collect exhaled breath samples from children is an innovative, acceptable and promising method that could be used for metabolomic analysis and epidemiological research.