Hygiene product manufacturers are interested in various sulfur analytes that contribute to bad breath. By measuring these analytes before and after test product application, these companies can determine the efficacy of new products.

Trace analytes found in exhaled “bad breath” are sulfur containing compounds. These sulfur species can be difficult to separate and detect at the low levels emitted, even though our olfactory organs are very capable of picking them up.

Wasson-ECE designed a human interface sampling inlet capable of loading direct exhalation samples from test subjects for injection. Tests generally followed this pattern:

1. A subject would load the sample and the GC would measure specific sulfur-containing compounds in their breath to determine a baseline concentration.
2. The subject would then eat a certain amount of either onions or garlic, and the GC would measure the resulting sulfurs in their breath.
3. Finally, the subject would use an experimental product and be tested for the same sulfur analytes a final time.

Wasson-ECE was able to separate each analyte of interest and measure at or below the required detection limits. This before and after comparison offers hygiene product manufacturers a very strong indication of new product efficacy. (Picture suggestions)