Wearable sensor measures airborne nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes


Date:
December 8, 2021
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Some studies have shown that nicotine, an addictive substance
in electronic cigarettes, increases the risk of cardiovascular
and respiratory disorders. But to get a full understanding of
its potential health effects, a real-time nicotine monitoring
device is needed. Such a device could also help vapers -- as well
as non-vapers who encounter second-hand smoke -- measure their
exposure. Now, researchers report that they have developed a
battery-free, wearable device that could accomplish this task.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Some studies have shown that nicotine, an addictive substance in
electronic cigarettes, increases the risk of cardiovascular and
respiratory disorders. But to get a full understanding of its potential
health effects, a real-time nicotine monitoring device is needed. Such
a device could also help vapers - - as well as non-vapers who encounter second-hand smoke -- measure their exposure. Now, researchers report
in ACS Sensors that they have developed a battery-free, wearable device
that could accomplish this task.


========================================================================== E-cigarettes are designed to heat and aerosolize a mixture of nicotine, glycerine, propylene glycol and flavoring additives, which the user then inhales. In the body, this mixture can affect multiple organs, including
the respiratory system, where it alters airflow, increases oxidative
stress and impairs immunity. In addition, nicotine exposure can lead to
lung cancer. But assessing that exposure under real-world conditions has
been difficult. Current assays for measuring ambient nicotine levels are carried out in laboratory settings and require large sample volumes and
days to weeks of sampling.

Portable nicotine sensors are being developed as an alternative, but the
two that have been reported are impractical because they rely either
on the presence of sweat or sunlight to function. So Madhu Bhaskaran,
Md. Ataur Rahman and Philipp Gutruf set out to design a lightweight,
wearable sensor capable of detecting nicotine in real time and sending
the data wirelessly to electronic devices such as a smartphone.

The team chose vanadium dioxide (VO2) on a polyimide substrate as the
basis for their sensor. They showed that nicotine can bond covalently to
a thin film of VO2, thereby altering the film's conductivity to an extent
that depends on nicotine concentration. The device detects the change in conductivity, amplifies the signal and then transmits it wirelessly to
a smartphone. When applied to skin, the battery-free sensor can measure
the wearer's exposure to vaporized nicotine in open air. The researchers
say this approach expands the use of wearable electronics for real-time monitoring of hazardous substances in the environment.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Md. Ataur Rahman, Le Cai, Sherif Abdulkader Tawfik, Stuart Tucker,
Alex
Burton, Ganganath Perera, Michelle J. S. Spencer, Sumeet Walia,
Sharath Sriram, Philipp Gutruf, Madhu Bhaskaran. Nicotine Sensors
for Wearable Battery-Free Monitoring of Vaping. ACS Sensors, 2021;
DOI: 10.1021/ acssensors.1c01633 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211208085959.htm

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