Spectroscopic studies of ketones as a marker for patients with diabetes

Acetone in human breath has been established as a biomarker for diabetes. The application of UV spectroscopy for the study of biomedical compounds has been developed over recent years but is often limited by the lack of absolute data for calibration of the instrumentation. By measuring high resolution absolute VUV photoabsorption cross sections of acetone, we are able to provide calibration values at several wavelengths with special attention to 4.661 eV (266 nm). Results are compared with recent published data [C Wang, A Mbi, Meas. Sci. Technol., 2007, 18, 2731–2741]. The acetone spectrum is here revisited from a recent contribution [Nobre M, et al, Phys Chem Chem Phys, 2008 (in press)] where the absolute cross sectional values are obtained in the 3.7 – 10.8 eV energy region. Future medical units working in close link with synchrotron radiation facilities can make use of the VUV spectra wavelength region to trace acetone in diabetic patients.