Pulsed quantum cascade laser-based cavity ring-down spectroscopy for ammonia detection in breath

Breath analysis can be a valuable, noninvasive tool for the clinical diagnosis of a number of pathological conditions. The detection of ammonia in exhaled breath is of particular interest for it has been linked to kidney malfunction and peptic ulcers. Pulsed cavity ringdown spectroscopy in the mid-IR region has developed into a sensitive analytical technique for trace gas analysis. A gas analyzer based on a pulsed mid-IR quantum cascade laser operating near 970 cm−1 has been developed for the detection of ammonia levels in breath. We report a sensitivity of ∼50 parts per billion with a 20 s time resolution for ammonia detection in breath with this system. The challenges and possible solutions for the quantification of ammonia in human breath by the described technique are discussed.