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Detecting electroporation by assessing the time constants in the exponential response of human skin to voltage
Sinziana I Bîrlea1, Gavin J Corley, Nicolae M Bîrlea
1Bioelectronics Research Cluster, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science and Electrical & Electronic Engineering, School of Engineering & Informatics, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland. s.birlea1@nuigalway.ie
Abstract:
We propose a new method for extracting the electrical properties of human skin based on the time constant analysis of its exponential response to impulse stimulation. As a result of this analysis an adjacent finding has arisen. We have found that stratum corneum electroporation can be detected using this analysis method. We have observed that a one time-constant model is appropriate for describing the electrical properties of human skin at low amplitude applied voltages (<30V), and a two time-constant model best describes skin electrical properties at higher amplitude applied voltages (>30V). Higher voltage amplitudes (>30V) have been proven to create pores in the skin's stratum corneum which offer a new, lower resistance, pathway for the passage of current through the skin. Our data shows that when pores are formed in the stratum corneum they can be detected, in-vivo, due to the fact that a second time constant describes current flow through them.
