Wearable Enzymatic Alcohol Biosensor.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Transdermal alcohol biosensors detect alcohol through the skin but face challenges with sensor fouling and signal drift.
• Existing methods for monitoring alcohol consumption often rely on subjective self-reports, lacking objectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a wearable alcohol sensor platform that overcomes limitations of previous biosensors, specifically sensor fouling and long-term drift.
• To provide a non-invasive, objective alternative for quantifying alcohol consumption.

Main Methods:

• Developed a wearable platform using alcohol oxidase enzyme and Prussian Blue to prevent baseline drift.
• Incorporated an interchangeable cartridge system for consecutive measurements.
• Characterized the sensor's performance, including its linear range and mass-transfer limitations.

Main Results:

• Achieved drift-free in vivo signals for up to 24 hours.
• Demonstrated sensitive detection of transdermal alcohol with minimal baseline drift (< 25 nA).
• Established a linear sensor range of 0 mM to 50 mM and confirmed performance in a human subject over two days.

Conclusions:

• The novel wearable alcohol biosensor effectively addresses sensor fouling and drift, enabling reliable long-term monitoring.
• This non-invasive technology presents a significant advancement over subjective self-reporting for alcohol consumption assessment.
• The interchangeable cartridge design facilitates continuous, multi-day alcohol monitoring.