New biosensor measures body sweat vapor to diagnose diseases

The biosensor, developed by Huang “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor in Engineering and Mechanics, contains a superhydrophobic material that measures sweat vapor without absorbing water. (Source: Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Sweat is a rich source of biomarkers that can help doctors diagnose health conditions. Using wearable sensors, a person’s sweat production and characteristics can be monitored to gather information about their skin, nervous system activity, and underlying health problems. However, current sensors cannot detect all types of sweat because not all types of sweat are the same. To address this limitation, a new superhydrophobic biosensor has been developed that can serve as a diagnostic tool to identify and measure these types of sweat.

The sensor, designed by Huan “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr., Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering and Mechanics, was described in an article published in AKS Nano.

Sweat can be divided into two types: perceptible (liquid) and imperceptible (vapour). Sensual sweat is easily noticeable by people, especially during intense exercise, and can be continuously monitored with wearable sensors in a non-invasive way. On the other hand, insensible sweat is characterized by the loss of water from the skin and is released at a much slower rate during periods of low-intensity exercise or rest. According to Cheng, measuring invisible sweat is difficult.

“Monitoring inconspicuous sweat is of great interest for assessing skin conditions and diseases such as eczema and wound healing, as well as underlying health conditions such as pain or anxiety,” Cheng said. “Skin interface devices that detect the rate and loss of sweat are currently limited to sensible perspiration and are not suitable for non-perceptible vaporized sweat.”

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Cheng developed a prototype superhydrophobic sweat sensor to measure imperceptible sweat vapor. This sensor consists of a super absorbent hydrogel composite layer on a porous substrate sandwiched between two super hydrophobic fabric layers. This design permits the passage of sweat vapor while protecting the sensor from exposure to external water droplets from perceptible sweat. This sensor can be combined with a flexible wireless and power module to continuously monitor the level of perspiration in various areas of the body.

“The proof-of-concept in humans has demonstrated the ability to continuously assess the body’s thermoregulation and skin barrier functions,” Cheng said. “This allows assessment of thermal comfort, disease states, and nervous system activity and provides a low-cost device platform for detecting other health-important biomarkers in sweat vapor as a next-generation sweat sensor for smart healthcare and personalized medicine.”

What diseases can be tracked by sweat analysis?

Sweat contains many chemicals and biomarkers that can be used to monitor various diseases and health conditions. Here are some examples:

1. Cystic Fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects the respiratory and digestive systems. People with cystic fibrosis have high chloride levels in their sweat, so sweat tests can be used to diagnose the disease and monitor its progression.

2. Dehydration. Sweat analysis can be used to monitor dehydration, which occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in. Dehydration can lead to a variety of symptoms, including dry mouth, thirst, fatigue, and dizziness.

3. Diabetes: Sweat contains glucose, which can be used to control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Sweat testing may also be helpful for people who have problems with traditional blood glucose monitoring methods.

4. Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement and coordination. Research has shown that sweat contains biomarkers that can be used to track disease progression.

5. Cancer: Some cancers, such as melanoma, can release certain biomarkers into sweat that can be detected with specialized testing.

Which wearable sensors currently on the market track sweat

There are several wearable sensors on the market that can track sweat and provide valuable health and fitness information. Here are some examples:

1. Fitbit Sense: Fitbit Sense is a smartwatch with a skin temperature sensor and an Electrodermal Activity (EDA) sensor that measures changes in sweat gland activity to track stress levels.

2. Gatorade Gx Sweat Patch: The Gatorade Gx Sweat Patch is a single-use patch that is applied to the skin to measure sweat levels during exercise. It provides information on sweat rate, sodium concentration in sweat, and fluid loss to help athletes optimize hydration.

3. Kenzen ECHO Smart Patch: The Kenzen ECHO Smart Patch is a wearable patch that measures sweat levels to track hydration, electrolyte balance and core body temperature. It is designed for sports and fitness.

4. SLOCK: The SLOCK sensor is an electrochemical sweat based biosensor platform designed to diagnose and treat circadian anomalies.

5. Epicore Biosystems Soft Wearable Health Monitor: The Epicore Biosystems Soft Wearable Health Monitor is a flexible, skin-like patch that adheres to the skin and measures various health parameters, including sweat levels. It can be used for remote monitoring of patients and treatment of diseases.

Overall, sweat testing can provide a non-invasive and convenient method for monitoring a number of health conditions. However, more research is needed to develop and validate these tests for clinical use.

A super absorbent hydrogel composite on a porous backing is sandwiched between two layers of super hydrophobic textile to allow perspiration vapor to permeate and prevent the transducer from being exposed to external water droplets of tangible perspiration. (Source: Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Cheng’s work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the State of Pennsylvania. Support was also provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Hunan Natural Science Foundation, and the Hunan Furong Scholars Program.

Co-authors include Shanda Chen, Xiaofeng Li, Youjing Li, Weiyi Liu, Yangcheni Liu, Shun Qian, Yi Sun, Yao Tian, ​​Peihe Wang, Xiufeng Wang, Fengzhen Yang, Hanlin Yang, and Ping Zhang, all affiliated with Xiangtan University in China. .

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