Time-Resolved Sweat Collection for Off-Body SERS Analysis: Bridging Wearability and Sensitivity

Yisong Yu ¹, Xiaohui Fang ¹, Zhenle Qin ¹

⁰School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.

Acs Sensors +

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October 8, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This study presents a wearable platform for collecting and storing sweat over time, enabling sensitive detection of health biomarkers using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis off-body.

Area Of Science

Biomedical Engineering
Analytical Chemistry
Wearable Technology

Background

Sweat analysis offers a noninvasive method for physiological monitoring.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) provides sensitive detection of sweat biomarkers.
Current wearable SERS systems are limited by bulky equipment.

Purpose Of The Study

To develop a wearable platform for in situ sweat collection and time-sequenced storage.
To enable delayed, off-body high-sensitivity SERS detection of sweat biomarkers.
To overcome the limitations of integrating current SERS technology into wearable devices.

Main Methods

Fabricated a Janus microporous membrane with a wettability gradient for directional sweat collection.
Integrated a microfluidic chip with burst valves for passive, time-sequenced sweat sampling and storage.
Developed a capillary-based SERS substrate using a silver mirror reaction for biomarker detection.

Main Results

Achieved directional and continuous sweat collection from the skin.
Demonstrated time-sequenced storage of sweat samples during exercise.
Reached detection limits as low as 1 mM for sodium lactate and urea using SERS.
Successfully identified characteristic peaks from human sweat samples.

Conclusions

The developed wearable platform enables feasible integration of sweat sensing with high-performance spectroscopic analysis.
This technology offers promising applications for personalized health monitoring and dynamic physiological assessment.
The system addresses the impracticality of bulky Raman spectrometers in wearable health devices.

Keywords:

Janus membrane microfluidic chip surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) time-sequenced sampling wearable sweat sensor