scope:

This Spotlight discusses optical sensing strategies and applications for early diagnostics in exhaled-breath (EB) analyses. These sensors can noninvasively assess relevant biomarkers in EB, enabling early diagnosis of several diseases (e.g., cancer, asthma, diabetes) and the monitoring of breath metabolites in hospitalized patients after drug administration. Gas sensors with suitable selectivity, sensitivity, and a short response time are essential; in particular, optical-sensor-based transductions (e.g., UV-Vis absorbance, luminescence, infrared) are ideal for building portable dedicated devices, such as lab-on-a-chip and microfluidics devices.

Authors: Fortes, Paula R.