While Nafion dryers have been used for years to dry breath samples prior to analysis in anesthesia monitoring, metabolic testing, and capnography (monitoring of exhaled CO2), a recent revolution in capnography (monitoring of exhaled CO2), a recent revolution in capnography instrumentation and changes in patient standards of care demanded the development of new drying techniques.  This challenge has been met by Perma Pure with a new line of dryers optimized for use in capnography.

As capnography gains a wider role  in patient care, Nafion dryers from Perma Pure are used to remove moisture from a patient's exhaled breath prior to analysis. Moisture removal is critical in sample preparation, as water blocks sample lines, damages analyzers and reduces the accuracy of analysis.

Lower sample flows, smaller packaging, and use during transport present unique problems in preparing breath samples for analysis.  Perma Pure’s new dryers are developed specifically to meet the performance and design requirements of this application by removing water from the sample long before it enters the analyzer.  The compact dryers do not present the problems associated with water traps such as inconsistent performance during transport and high pressure drop across the trap.

Perma Pure’s patented Nafion membrane technology removes only water vapor from the sample, without removing any of the CO₂ to be analyzed.  The company is the sole manufacturer of Nafion tubing under license from the polymer manufacturer, DuPont.

For more information about Perma Pure’s medical sample conditioning products, call 732-244-0010, or visit the company’s website at www.permapure.com.

Perma Pure LLC, a member of the Halma Group, manufactures gas conditioning products such as dryers, humidifiers, filters, coalescers, specialty scrubbers and complete sampling systems for use in medical, scientific and industrial applications.  The company is based in Toms River, New Jersey, with representatives and distributors around the world.

Nafion is a registered trademark of DuPont.