Textile-based wearable solid-contact flexible fluoride sensor: Toward biodetection of G-type nerve agents

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Global security necessitates real-time detection of chemical and biological threat agents.
• Wearable sensing technology offers potential for on-body, field-based threat identification.
• Selective detection of chemical agents using on-body devices is an emerging research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible, printed textile-based sensor for selective fluoride anion detection.
• To enable real-time, on-body detection of nerve agents and related compounds.
• To create a robust and wearable biosensing system for defense applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a flexible printed textile-based solid-contact potentiometric sensor using a fluoride-selective ionophore.
• Integration of stress-enduring inks and serpentine structures for mechanical resilience.
• Biosensing of nerve agent simulant diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) using immobilized enzymes (OPAA or OPH).
• Wireless data transmission to a smartphone for instant wearer alerts.

Main Results:

• The textile sensor demonstrated near-Nernstian sensitivity and effective discrimination against common anions.
• The sensor exhibited excellent reversibility and repeatability for dynamic fluoride concentration changes.
• The device showed robust mechanical resiliency under severe mechanical strain.
• Successful biosensing of DFP was achieved, demonstrating the system's potential for nerve agent detection.

Conclusions:

• A novel textile-based potentiometric fluoride electrode was realized, suitable for wearable applications.
• The sensor system offers promise for the specific field detection of G-type neurotoxins and organophosphate pesticides.
• This technology advances wearable anion sensors and provides a user-friendly platform for instantaneous chemical threat alerts.