Thermoelectric sensor for analytes in a fluid and related method
An apparatus is provided for sensing an analyte in a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid collecting device configured to collect the fluid containing the analyte; a fluid input in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device configured to input the fluid containing the analyte into the fluid collecting device, an analyte interactant in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device, wherein the analyte interactant, when contacted by the analyte, reacts to cause a first change in thermal energy within the fluid collecting device; a modulator that causes a second change in thermal energy; a thermal sensing device comprising at least one pyroelectric device thermally coupled to the fluid collecting device to generate a first signal in response to at least one of the first change in thermal energy and the second change in thermal energy; a control device operatively coupled to the thermal sensing device and the modulator that generates a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte. A related method also is disclosed.
1. A hand-held apparatus for sensing an analyte in a breath, the apparatus comprising:
a fluid collecting device configured to collect the breath containing the analyte, wherein the fluid collecting device comprises a mouthpiece;
a fluid input in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device configured to input the breath containing the analyte into the fluid collecting device,
a test strip movably disposed in the fluid collecting device, the test strip comprising an analyte interactant disposed in a plurality of respective regions such that the test strip is usable on more than one occasion, the analyte interactant in fluid communication with the fluid collecting device when the test strip is inserted into the fluid collecting device, wherein the analyte interactant, when contacted by the analyte, reacts to cause a first change in thermal energy within the fluid collecting device;
a modulator that causes a second change in thermal energy;
a thermal sensing device comprising at least one pyroelectric device thermally coupled to the fluid collecting device to generate a first signal in response to at least one of the first change in thermal energy and the second change in thermal energy; and
a control device operatively coupled to the thermal sensing device and the modulator that generates a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a interactant that, when contacted by the analyte, undergoes a second reaction to second analyte cause a third change in thermal energy.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of respective regions are equally spaced from one another.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of respective regions are disposed discontinuously on the test strip in a pattern.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of respective regions upon which the analyte interactant is disposed consist of only the analyte interactant.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analyte interactant disposed in each of the plurality of respective regions consists of a first analyte interactant.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of analyte interactants are respectively disposed in the plurality of respective regions.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicate a single analyte.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicate a plurality of respective analytes.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicates a single disease.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicate a plurality of respective diseases.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip comprises a conductive surface.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip comprises a pyroelectric ribbon comprising a patterned analyte interactant.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip comprises a thin film.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip is disposable.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip is replenishable after use.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analyte interactant is exposed to the analyte by a process of rotation of the test strip.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analyte interactant is exposed to the analyte by a process of translation of the test strip.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analyte interactant comprises an enzyme.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analyte interactant comprises a polymer.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a packed bed containing the analyte interactant and including microspheres or nanoparticles disposed therein.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test strip comprises a disk or cartridge.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a self-contained apparatus that is portable or handheld.
24. A method for sensing an analyte in a breath, the method comprising:
a. providing a hand-held thermoelectric sensor comprising:
i. a thermal sensor comprising a pyroelectric device for measuring thermal energy,
ii. an analyte interactant; and
iii. a mouthpiece;
b. causing the breath and the analyte within the breath to contact the analyte interactant so that the analyte interactant reacts with the analyte to cause a first change in thermal energy, wherein the analyte interactant is disposed on a test strip for insertion into and operation with the thermal sensor, and further wherein the analyte interactant is disposed in a plurality of respective regions such that the test strip is usable on more than one occasion; and
c. measuring the temperature change using the pyroelectric device and a modulator, wherein the modulator causes a second change in thermal energy.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip comprises a disk or cartridge.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of regions is equally spaced from one another.
27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of regions is disposed discontinuously on the test strip in a pattern.
28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of regions upon which the analyte interactant is disposed consist of only the analyte interactant.
29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the analyte interactant disposed in each of the plurality of regions consists of a first analyte interactant.
30. The method of claim 24 , wherein a plurality of analyte interactants is respectively disposed in the plurality of regions.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicates a single analyte.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicates a plurality of respective analytes.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicates a single disease.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of analyte interactants indicates a plurality of respective diseases.
35. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip comprises a conductive surface.
36. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip comprises a pyroelectric ribbon comprising a patterned analyte interactant.
37. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip comprises a thin film.
38. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip is disposable.
39. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip is replenishable after use.
40. The method of claim 24 , wherein the analyte interactant is exposed to the analyte by a process of rotation of the test strip.
41. The method of claim 24 , wherein the analyte interactant is exposed to the analyte by a process of translation of the test strip.
42. The method of claim 24 , wherein the analyte interactant comprises an enzyme.
43. The method of claim 24 , wherein the analyte interactant comprises a polymer.
44. The method of claim 24 , wherein the test strip comprises a packed bed containing the analyte interactant and including microspheres or nanoparticles disposed therein.