JPH10239309A - Apparatus for measuring concentration of alcohol in dermal permeation secretion - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure a concentration of alcohol without collecting blood from a testee without invasion, by dispersing and mixing a dermal permeation secretion with dehumidified air within a capsule held in tight contact with the skin, and injecting the mixture to an alcohol concentration-measuring part. SOLUTION: The dehumidified air is sent to a capsule 5 adhering to a skin surface 6 from a dehumidifier air feed part consisting of a compressor 1, a flowmeter 2 and a dehumidifier 3. A dermal permeation secretion and the air are dispersed and mixed in the capsule. The amount of the secretion is continuously measured and recorded by a pen recorder 8. The mixed gas is cooled instantaneously by liquid nitrogen and kept in a holding tube 11. The capsule 5 easy to attach and detach to the skin is brought in tight contact with the skin, the secretion passing the skin is dispersed and mixed with the dehumidified air within the capsule 5, and collected with an optional timing, so that the amount of the secretion is measured. Moreover, the secretion is injected to a gas chromatograph, and alcohol is selectively separated and detected from the secretion in a capillary column in the chromatograph. Therefore, a concentration of alcohol can also be measured without collecting blood from a testee.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for non-invasively quantitatively measuring the alcohol concentration in the body, objectively evaluating the state of intoxication after drinking, and measuring the alcohol concentration in the body during a liver function test in clinical biochemistry. The present invention relates to a device for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin permeated secretions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, measurement of alcohol concentration in the body has been performed by:
After collecting the venous blood, the alcohol volatilized from the blood by heating is reacted with a potassium dichromate sulfate solution and calculated from the amount of reduced potassium dichromate, and after collecting the venous blood, the alcohol dehydratase is used as a catalyst. The measurement was performed by a spectrophotometer, the blood was collected directly from a venous blood, and then directly injected into a gas chromatograph, and the alcohol concentration in the breath was measured using an aluminum bag for collecting breath.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method of collecting venous blood in the above-mentioned conventional method for measuring the alcohol concentration in the body, the subject must be invaded and blood must be collected. There is a problem that the measurement must be performed by a qualified person and the measurement value is affected by substances other than alcohol present in the blood. Further, in the case of directly injecting blood into a gas chromatograph, there is a problem that the detection column is contaminated and the absolute injection amount cannot be accurately grasped by the injection method, and the measured value is affected. Furthermore, in the case of using an aluminum bag for breath collection, there is a problem that it is very difficult to collect end-expiration although it is necessary to accurately collect end-expiration.

In the present invention, therefore, the secretions secreted through the skin are directly diffused and mixed with dehumidified air in a capsule in close contact with the skin surface, and the diffused mixed gas is injected into an alcohol concentration measuring section, thereby allowing the secretion of the secretion in the body. It is a first technical problem to solve the above-mentioned problem of the conventional method for measuring the alcohol concentration in the body without measuring the alcohol concentration and performing blood sampling to invade the subject.

[0005] Further, a water content measuring unit is provided in the middle of the passage between the capsule and the collection / injection switching valve to measure the water content of the collected secretions, so that the absolute collection amount of secretions can be accurately grasped. A second technical problem is to solve the problem of the conventional method of injecting a sample into a gas chromatograph.

[0006]

The technical means for solving the above-mentioned first problem includes secretions secreted through the skin, dehumidified air which flows from the outside through a dehumidified air inlet, and the dehumidified air. And a capsule in close contact with the skin surface to diffuse and mix, and, at the time of collecting the secretion, by operating the collection / injection switching valve to the collection side, a secretion tube communicating with the capsule, and secretions in the holding tube in the holding tube. Cryogenic temperature holding means provided externally for cooling and holding, and by operating the sampling / injection switching valve to the injection side, when injecting secretions into the alcohol concentration measurement section, the holding tube The secretion is transferred to the alcohol concentration measurement unit by a secretion transfer unit that transfers the secretion held in the holding tube to the alcohol concentration measurement unit, and the secretion is transferred to the alcohol concentration measurement unit. It is to measure the concentration of alcohol in the 泌物.

The technical means for solving the second problem includes a capsule which is in close contact with the skin surface, and a water content measuring unit which measures a water content using an absolute humidity sensor in the passage of the sampling / injection switching valve. Provided by a moisture content measuring means for converting the moisture content of the collected secretions from the absolute humidity value, and a skin by a moisture content continuous recording means for continuously recording an output signal corresponding to the moisture content output from the moisture content measuring means. It is to accurately measure the water content of the permeate.

[0008]

According to the apparatus for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin-permeated secretions having the above-mentioned construction, a capsule for diffusing and mixing secretions permeated through the skin with dehumidified air introduced from a dehumidified air inlet hole, and communicating with the capsule. A water content measuring unit that measures the water content from the mixed gas in which secretions are diffused, a sampling / injection switching valve that is operated on a sampling side when sampling the skin-permeating secretions, and the sampling / injection switching valve is located on the sampling side. A secretion holding tube that communicates with the water content measurement unit when operated, and a cryogenic holding unit for holding secretions in the holding tube,
When injecting the retained secretion into the alcohol concentration measurement unit using a gas chromatograph, it is provided with the sampling / injection switching valve operated on the injection side, and a secretion transfer unit for transferring the secretion to the alcohol concentration measurement unit. Accordingly, it is possible to measure the alcohol concentration in the body without performing blood sampling that invades the subject. Further, since the water content measuring unit is installed and the water content of the collected secretions is measured, the absolute amount of secretions can be accurately grasped, and the alcohol concentration in the body can be accurately measured.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the apparatus for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin permeate according to the present invention. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the capsule 5 adhered to the skin surface 6 includes
A constant flow of dehumidified air is supplied to the capsule 5 from a dehumidified air supply unit composed of an external compressor 1, a flow meter 2, and a dehumidifier 3.
From the dehumidification air inflow hole 4 of
Dehumidified air immediately diffuses and mixes secretions that pass through the skin,
The gas mixture containing secretions is led through a pipe to a moisture meter 7 using an absolute hygrometer, and the amount of secretions passing through the skin is continuously measured and recorded by a pen recorder 8.

Next, when the secretion is collected, the collection / injection switching valve 9 is operated to the collection side (open white portion in the figure), and the mixed gas containing the secretion permeating the skin is transferred to the holding tube 11. Lead. In order to hold the mixed gas flowing through the holding tube 11 at an arbitrary timing in the holding tube 11, the holding tube 11 is inserted into a container filled with liquid nitrogen 12 provided outside, and is cooled instantaneously. Keep the gas cool. Or
At any time, the holding tube 11 is inserted into a container filled with liquid nitrogen 12 provided outside, and the sampling / injection switching valve is operated to guide the mixed gas to the holding tube 11 at an arbitrary timing to cool and hold the mixed gas. I do. The holding tube 11 is connected by holding tube connection joints 14A and 14B and is detachable, so that the secretions in the mixed gas can be stored in a separately prepared freezer or the like, and by repeating this operation, Continuous collection of skin permeate can be performed.

After a certain period of time, the holding tube 11 is extracted from the container filled with the liquid nitrogen 12, and the holding of the mixed gas in the holding tube 11 is released, and at the same time, the sampling / injection switching valve is operated.
The carrier gas cylinder 13 is operated in the alcohol concentration measuring unit using the gas chromatograph 10 having the function of outputting the output of the hydrogenation flame ionization detector as a detection signal by operating the gas mixture on the injection side (the black portion in the figure). The secretion cooled and held in the holding tube 11 is transferred to the alcohol concentration measuring section by the transfer means used, and the secretion is injected. Further, the voltage signal of the hydrogenation flame ionization detector can be continuously recorded by a pen recorder. In the gas chromatograph 10, a known alcohol concentration solution is injected in advance, and the alcohol concentration is calculated from the retention time and peak area where an alcohol peak is recognized after injection from a pen recorder.

Next, the injected secretion is separated into an alcohol component and a non-alcohol component in a capillary column of the gas chromatograph 10, detected as an alcohol peak by a hydrogenation flame ion detector, and recorded by a pen recorder. Is done. From the recorded peak area and the water content measured by the water content meter 7, the alcohol content per unit water content can be calculated. Furthermore, measurement of the alcohol concentration in these skin permeated secretions is performed by manually switching the sampling / injection switching valve to the sampling or injection side at regular intervals, or by sampling the sampling / injection switching valve at regular intervals. Alternatively, by connecting to an automatic valve switching device for switching to the injection side, it is possible to continuously measure the alcohol concentration in the skin-permeating secretions and to measure the temporal change in the alcohol concentration in the secretions from the skin surface.

Next, the relationship between the blood alcohol concentration and the alcohol concentration in the skin permeate will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 shows the measured values of the alcohol concentration in the secretions measured by the apparatus for measuring the alcohol concentration in the skin permeated secretions with respect to the elapsed time after drinking alcohol, and the blood levels using blood collected in clinical biochemistry tests. It is a measured value in the alcohol concentration test. There is a good correlation between the alcohol concentration in skin permeate and blood alcohol, and the alcohol concentration in skin permeate and blood alcohol correspond very well.

In the alcohol concentration measuring section, the alcohol concentration can be measured by using a gas chromatograph / mass spectrometer.

[0015]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a capsule that can be easily adhered to and detached from the skin is easily adhered to the skin, and secretions that have passed through the skin are diffused with dehumidified air in the capsule. By mixing and operating the sampling / injection switching valve at an arbitrary timing, secretions can be collected and the amount of secretion can be measured.Furthermore, secretions easily collected by the sampling / injection switching valve can be injected into the gas chromatograph and the gas chromatography In the capillary column in the tograph, alcohol can be selectively separated and detected from the secretions, and the alcohol concentration in the secretions can be measured from the secretion amount measured by the water content meter. This has the effect that the alcohol concentration in the body can be measured without the need.

Furthermore, since the holding tube can be attached and detached while keeping the secretion cooled and held in the holding tube, there is an effect that a large number of skin-permeating secretions can be collected in a short time in a mass examination or the like. Furthermore, by connecting an automatic valve changer to the sampling / injection switching valve and automatically operating the sampling / injection switching valve, or by manually switching the sampling / injection switching valve, the measurement of the alcohol concentration in the skin permeated secretion can be speeded up. It is possible to record the change over time of the alcohol concentration in the skin permeated secretion.

The present invention measures the alcohol concentration in the body by performing diffusion mixing of skin permeation secretion with dehumidified air without performing blood sampling to invade the subject.
It measures alcohol concentration in the body and can be applied not only to clinical biochemistry, clinical medicine, and public health, but also to objectively evaluate drunkenness after drinking, and it is not necessary to collect blood. It is also expected to be used for judging drunk driving in police operations and preventing work-related accidents that are predisposed to alcohol drinking in the workplace society, which has great social significance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an apparatus for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin permeated secretions.

FIG. 2 is a correlation diagram showing a relationship between a blood alcohol concentration and an alcohol concentration in skin permeate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Compressor 2 Flow meter 3 Dehumidifier 4 Dehumidification air inflow hole 5 Capsule 6 Skin 7 Moisture meter 8 Pen recorder 9 Sampling injection switching valve 10 Gas chromatograph 11 Holding pipe 12 Liquid nitrogen 13 Carrier gas cylinder 14A Holding pipe connection joint 14B Holding pipe connection Joint 15 exhaust port

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A capsule in close contact with the skin for diffusively mixing the dehumidified air, which flows from the outside through a dehumidified air inflow hole, a secretion such as sweat permeated through the skin, and the dehumidified air, and a secretion collection. At this time, by operating the collection / injection switching valve to the collection side, the holding tube communicating with the capsule, and the cryogenic temperature holding means provided outside for cooling and holding secretions in the holding tube in the holding tube. Further, the collection injection switching valve is operated to the injection side, when injecting secretions into the alcohol concentration measurement unit, the alcohol concentration measurement unit communicating with the holding tube, the secretion held in the holding tube An apparatus for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin-permeated secretions, comprising a secretion transferring means for transferring to the alcohol concentration measuring section. 2. A water content measuring section is provided in the middle of the passage between the capsule and the collection / injection switching valve, and together with a water content measuring means for measuring the water content of the collected secretion, the water content is measured by the water content measuring section. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a water content continuous recording means for continuously recording a correspondingly output signal. 3. The apparatus for measuring the concentration of alcohol in skin permeated secretions according to claim 1, wherein the holding tube is provided with connecting portions at both ends of the holding tube so that the holding tube can be detached. . 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a valve switching means for automatically switching the collection / injection switching valve to a collection / injection side for secretion at a predetermined time interval, and continuously transferring the skin-permeated secretion to the alcohol concentration measuring section. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secretion can be transferred by the transfer means.
4. The apparatus for measuring alcohol concentration in skin permeate according to item 3.