https://english.news.cn/20240709/239103936887405faf3d3fedb535a87a/c.html

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.3c13035

Scientists from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HIPS) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences have designed a wristwatch that can measure essential chemicals in body sweat. Sweat contains electrolytes, primarily potassium, sodium and calcium. The balance of these essential minerals is crucial for supporting muscle function, nerve health and regular heartbeat, said Yang Meng, an associate professor at the institute and one of the authors of the study.

Sweating leads to the loss of both water and electrolytes. Excessive loss of potassium, for instance, can impact heart function and neuromuscular activity. Similarly, the depletion of sodium ions may result in symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness and muscle cramps.

The wristwatch designed by Yang’s team collects sweat from the skin and analyzes it in real time using a sensor chip with an ion-sensitive membrane. When sweat enters the device, it will come into contact with the membrane that contains three tubules capable of measuring sodium, potassium and calcium levels, respectively.

Since endurance athletes use electrolyte drinks to counteract the loss of energy and replenish it, researchers in the study measured the sweat composition of these chemicals in athletes running long distances on a treadmill. The accuracy reached approximately 95 percent when compared to the standard detection method.

The next goal of the research team is to design various sensitive membrane materials for monitoring more physiological information, such as glucose and chloride ions. The team of researchers also aims to adapt the device for environmental monitoring to measure heavy metals in the future.