TY - JOUR
T1 - Ex vivo detection of recreational consumed nitrous oxide in exhaled breath
AU - Jiménez, Dinesh Durán
AU - Vinckenbosch, Frederick
AU - Busink, Joris
AU - van Zijl, Jerro
AU - Helmerhorst, Hendrik J.F.
AU - van Tuin, Desirée
AU - Dahan, Albert
AU - Ramaekers, Johannes Gerardus
AU - van der Schans, Marcel J.
AU - Bikker, Floris J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025. The Author(s).
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - The increasing use of recreational nitrous oxide ([Formula: see text]O) in the Netherlands and its link to traffic accidents highlights the need for reliable detection methods for law enforcement. This study focused on ex vivo detection of [Formula: see text]O in exhaled breath and examining its persistence in the human body. Firstly, a low-cost portable infrared based detector was selected and validated to detect [Formula: see text]O in air. Then, the influence of interferents and conditions potentially influencing the analysis were evaluated including relative humidity, ethanol, acetaldehyde and [Formula: see text]. Subsequently, [Formula: see text]O breathing dynamics were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. Initially, a lung simulator was used to model respiratory mechanics and [Formula: see text]O decay, revealing detectable [Formula: see text]O levels up to 90 min after exposure. In the final part of this study, a controlled single and double dose of [Formula: see text]O gas was administered to 24 volunteers in an operating theatre. The presence of [Formula: see text]O in exhaled breath of the volunteers was analysed using infra red spectroscopy every 12-15 min. Our results show that [Formula: see text]O was detectable in exhaled breath for a minimum of 60 min post-administration and revealed a window of detection to potentially measure [Formula: see text]O for law enforcement and forensic purposes.
AB - The increasing use of recreational nitrous oxide ([Formula: see text]O) in the Netherlands and its link to traffic accidents highlights the need for reliable detection methods for law enforcement. This study focused on ex vivo detection of [Formula: see text]O in exhaled breath and examining its persistence in the human body. Firstly, a low-cost portable infrared based detector was selected and validated to detect [Formula: see text]O in air. Then, the influence of interferents and conditions potentially influencing the analysis were evaluated including relative humidity, ethanol, acetaldehyde and [Formula: see text]. Subsequently, [Formula: see text]O breathing dynamics were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. Initially, a lung simulator was used to model respiratory mechanics and [Formula: see text]O decay, revealing detectable [Formula: see text]O levels up to 90 min after exposure. In the final part of this study, a controlled single and double dose of [Formula: see text]O gas was administered to 24 volunteers in an operating theatre. The presence of [Formula: see text]O in exhaled breath of the volunteers was analysed using infra red spectroscopy every 12-15 min. Our results show that [Formula: see text]O was detectable in exhaled breath for a minimum of 60 min post-administration and revealed a window of detection to potentially measure [Formula: see text]O for law enforcement and forensic purposes.
KW - Humans
KW - Nitrous Oxide/analysis
KW - Breath Tests/methods
KW - Male
KW - Exhalation
KW - Adult
KW - Female
KW - Young Adult
KW - Netherlands
KW - Middle Aged
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U2 - 10.1038/s41598-025-86666-9
DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-86666-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 39843614
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 15
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 2901
ER -