Scientists at the University of Dundee have discovered a second use for a super-sensitive electronic nose, developed by researchers at the University of Glasgow, to find oil and gas reservoirs - It can also be used as a breathalyser to sniff out lung cancer in its early stages.
The device, which will be on display at the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition, measures tiny quantities of the gas ethane which naturally leak from oil and gas reservoirs into the atmosphere. A team from University of Glasgow has developed a sensor system that fits into a Landcruiser and can sniff out ethane in the air at less than one part per billion.
The device has found another use in detecting ethane in a patient's breath, thanks to Chris Longbottom and his team at the University of Dundee. When the body responds to cancerous cells, it produces free radicals which break down cell membranes into hydrocarbons including ethane. The sensor is now being put to the test in clinical trials for detecting early stages of lung cancer when other symptoms are yet to appear.
You can find out more about this exhibit at: http://www.sc1.ac.uk/discover/2003ex16.cfm
For more information about the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition, call 020 7451 2574 or visit our website at www.royalsoc.ac.uk or www.sc1.ac.uk
Contact Chris Longbottom 01382 425759
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk