Files
Document type
ArticleVersion
Published versionPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/185914
Quantitative GC-TCD measurements of major flatus components: a preliminary analysis of the diet effect
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Additional contribution
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The impact of diet and digestive disorders in flatus composition remains largely unexplored. This is partially due to the lack of standardized sampling collection methods, and the easy atmospheric contamination. This paper describes a method to quantitatively determine the major gases in flatus and their application in a nutritional intervention. We describe how to direct sample flatus into Tedlar bags, and simultaneous analysis by gas chromatography-thermal conductivity detection (GC-TCD). Results are analyzed by univariate hypothesis testing and by multilevel principal component analysis. The reported methodology allows simultaneous determination of the five major gases with root mean measurement errors of 0.8% for oxygen (O2), 0.9% for nitrogen (N2), 0.14% for carbon dioxide (CO2), 0.11% for methane (CH4), and 0.26% for hydrogen (H2). The atmospheric contamination was limited to 0.86 (95% CI: [0.7-1.0])% for oxygen and 3.4 (95% CI: [1.4-5.3])% for nitrogen. As an illustration, the method has been successfully applied to measure the response to a nutritional intervention in a reduced crossover study in healthy subjects.
Related resource
Subject
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
FREIRE, Rafael, et al. Quantitative GC-TCD measurements of major flatus components: a preliminary analysis of the diet effect. Sensors. 2022. Vol. 22, num. 3, pags. 838-852. ISSN 1424-8220. [consulted: 7 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/185914