Breath analysis could serve as fingerprinting system

BBC : Researchers are trying to determine whether one person’s breath differs enough from another’s to be used as a unique identifier, like a fingerprint. Renato Zenobi of ETH Zürich and his colleagues took samples from test subjects over a span of nine days and ran them through a mass spectrometer, a device that measures the masses of the compounds present. They found that some compounds, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, were fairly consistent across the test subjects, but that other compounds differed and were at individualized levels and ratios. Because breath analysis is noninvasive and produces immediate results, it could be used in many situations. Once the baseline breath levels of a patient have been established, anesthesia doses could be better calibrated, and tests for doping in sports could be easily administered. Zenobi’s team is currently working to develop a system for use in diagnosing lung diseases and several forms of cancer.