Smart Janus fabrics for one-way sweat sampling and skin-friendly colorimetric detection

Pengyu Xi; Xuecheng He; Chuan Fan; Qinglin Zhu; Zehua Li; Yuemeng Yang; Xin Du; Tailin Xu

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124507

Smart Janus fabrics for one-way sweat sampling and skin-friendly colorimetric detection

Talanta. 2023 Jul 1:259:124507. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124507. Epub 2023 Apr 3.

Authors

Pengyu Xi¹, Xuecheng He², Chuan Fan², Qinglin Zhu¹, Zehua Li¹, Yuemeng Yang¹, Xin Du³, Tailin Xu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Department of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
² Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Department of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
³ Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Department of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: duxin@ustb.edu.cn.
⁴ Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, Department of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: xutailin@szu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37058940
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124507

Abstract

Functionalized textiles with biofluid management capability have attracted tremendous attention in recent years due to their significant roles in health monitoring and dehydration prevention. Here we propose a one-way colorimetric sweat sampling and sensing system based on a Janus fabric using interfacial modification techniques. The opposite wettability of Janus fabric enables sweat to be quickly moved from the skin surface to the hydrophilic side and colorimetric patches. The unidirectional sweat-wicking performance of Janus fabric not only facilitates adequate sweat sampling but also inhibits the backflow of hydrated colorimetric regent from the assay patch toward the skin, eliminating potential epidermal contaminations. On this basis, visual and portable detection of sweat biomarkers including chloride, pH, and urea is also achieved. The results show that the true concentrations of chloride, pH, and urea in sweat are ∼10 mM, ∼7.2, and ∼10 mM, respectively. The detection limits of chloride and urea are 1.06 mM and 3.05 mM. This work bridges the gap between sweat sampling and a friendly epidermal microenvironment, providing a promising way for multifunctional textiles.

Keywords: Colorimetric; Janus fabric; Sweat; Wearable sensors.

MeSH terms

Chlorides
Colorimetry*
Skin
Sweat*
Textiles

Substances

Chlorides