Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics

Bio-sniffers represent a novel detection technology that demonstrates significant potential in medical diagnostics. Specifically, they assess disease conditions and metabolic status through the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. Unlike conventional methods such as gas...

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Main Authors: Yang Wang, Xunda Zhou, Siying Mao, Shiwei Chen, Zhenzhong Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Chemosensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/13/4/127
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author Yang Wang
Xunda Zhou
Siying Mao
Shiwei Chen
Zhenzhong Guo
author_facet Yang Wang
Xunda Zhou
Siying Mao
Shiwei Chen
Zhenzhong Guo
author_sort Yang Wang
collection DOAJ
description Bio-sniffers represent a novel detection technology that demonstrates significant potential in medical diagnostics. Specifically, they assess disease conditions and metabolic status through the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. Unlike conventional methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), bio-sniffers provide rapid, sensitive, and portable detection capabilities. In this review, we examine the metabolic pathways and detection methods of specific VOCs in the human body, and their roles as disease biomarkers, and focus on the detection principles, performance characteristics, and medical applications of two bio-sniffer types: electrical and optical sensors. Finally, we systematically discuss the current challenges facing bio-sniffers in VOC monitoring, outline future development directions, and provide suggestions for improving sensitivity and reducing environmental interference.
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series Chemosensors
spelling doaj-art-a1f735bd635b4239a1f2ce30765522d42025-08-20T02:28:40ZengMDPI AGChemosensors2227-90402025-04-0113412710.3390/chemosensors13040127Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical DiagnosticsYang Wang0Xunda Zhou1Siying Mao2Shiwei Chen3Zhenzhong Guo4Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory of Occupational Hazard Identification and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430065, ChinaBio-sniffers represent a novel detection technology that demonstrates significant potential in medical diagnostics. Specifically, they assess disease conditions and metabolic status through the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. Unlike conventional methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), bio-sniffers provide rapid, sensitive, and portable detection capabilities. In this review, we examine the metabolic pathways and detection methods of specific VOCs in the human body, and their roles as disease biomarkers, and focus on the detection principles, performance characteristics, and medical applications of two bio-sniffer types: electrical and optical sensors. Finally, we systematically discuss the current challenges facing bio-sniffers in VOC monitoring, outline future development directions, and provide suggestions for improving sensitivity and reducing environmental interference.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/13/4/127breath analysisbio-snifferbiomarkervolatile organic compounds (VOCs)medical diagnosis
spellingShingle Yang Wang
Xunda Zhou
Siying Mao
Shiwei Chen
Zhenzhong Guo
Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
Chemosensors
breath analysis
bio-sniffer
biomarker
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
medical diagnosis
title Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
title_full Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
title_fullStr Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
title_full_unstemmed Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
title_short Challenges and Applications of Bio-Sniffers for Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Medical Diagnostics
title_sort challenges and applications of bio sniffers for monitoring volatile organic compounds in medical diagnostics
topic breath analysis
bio-sniffer
biomarker
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
medical diagnosis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/13/4/127
work_keys_str_mv AT yangwang challengesandapplicationsofbiosniffersformonitoringvolatileorganiccompoundsinmedicaldiagnostics
AT xundazhou challengesandapplicationsofbiosniffersformonitoringvolatileorganiccompoundsinmedicaldiagnostics
AT siyingmao challengesandapplicationsofbiosniffersformonitoringvolatileorganiccompoundsinmedicaldiagnostics
AT shiweichen challengesandapplicationsofbiosniffersformonitoringvolatileorganiccompoundsinmedicaldiagnostics
AT zhenzhongguo challengesandapplicationsofbiosniffersformonitoringvolatileorganiccompoundsinmedicaldiagnostics