Ethane and n-pentane in exhaled breath are biomarkers of exposure not effect

• Published in: Biomarkers Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 17 - 25
• Main Authors: Gorham, Katrine A., Sulbaek Andersen, Mads P., Meinardi, Simone, Delfino, Ralph J., Staimer, Norbert, Tjoa, Thomas, Rowland, F. Sherwood, Blake, Donald R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK Ltd 01.02.2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; Breath Tests; carbonylated proteins; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Ethane; Ethane - analysis; exhaled breath analysis; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; nitric oxide; oxidative stress; pentane; Pentanes - analysis; Toxicology; Human; Expired air; Oxidative stress; Validity; carbonylated proteins; Nitric oxide; Biological marker; Air pollution; Exposure; Pentane; Ethane; exhaled breath analysis
• ISSN: 1354-750X; 1366-5804
• DOI: 10.1080/13547500902730680

The relationship of exhaled ethane and n-pentane to exhaled NO, carbonylated proteins, and indoor/outdoor atmospheric pollutants were examined in order to evaluate ethane and n-pentane as potential markers of airway inflammation and/or oxidative stress. Exhaled NO and carbonylated proteins were found to have no significant associations with either ethane (p = 0.96 and p = 0.81, respectively) or n-pentane (p = 0.44 and 0.28, respectively) when outliers were included. In the case where outliers were removed n-pentane was found to be inversely associated with carbonylated proteins. Exhaled hydrocarbons adjusted for indoor hydrocarbon concentrations were instead found to be positively associated with air pollutants (NO, NO2 and CO), suggesting pollutant exposure is driving exhaled hydrocarbon concentrations. Given these findings, ethane and n-pentane do not appear to be markers of airway inflammation or oxidative stress.