Exhaled Breath Condensate: A Promising Source for Biomarkers of Lung Disease

Figure 1

Nonvolatile and volatile components in EBC. Water vapor is rapidly diffused from the lining fluid on the surface of the airway (bronchi) and airspace (alveolar) into the expiratory flow. Droplets (nonvolatile biomarker) formation in the lung is largely from the lining fluid of the airway where turbulence is encountered. Respiratory gases (volatile biomarkers) are from both airspace and airway, and more soluble vapors are typically greater in the airway [5, 67].