Embedded Transdermal Alcohol Detection via a Finger Using SnO2 Gas Sensors.

Fatima Ezahra Annanouch,Marc Bendahan,Virginie Martini,Bruno Lawson,Tomas Fiorido,Khalifa Aguir

doi:10.3390/s21206852

Abstract

In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of a portable transdermal alcohol sensing device via a human finger, using tin dioxide (SnO2) chemoresistive gas sensors. Compared to conventional detectors, this non-invasive technique allowed us the continuous monitoring of alcohol with low cost and simple fabrication process. The sensing layers used in this work were fabricated by using the reactive radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. Their structure and morphology were investigated by means of X-ray spectroscopy (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results indicated that the annealing time has an important impact on the sensor sensitivity. Before performing the transdermal measurements, the sensors were exposed to a wide range of ethanol concentrations and the results displayed good responses with high sensitivity, stability, and a rapid detection time. Moreover, against high relative humidity (50% and 70%), the sensors remained resistant by showing a slight change in their gas sensing performances. A volunteer (an adult researcher from our volunteer group) drank 50 mL of tequila in order to realize the transdermal alcohol monitoring. Fifteen minutes later, the volunteer’s skin started to evacuate alcohol and the sensor resistance began to decline. Simultaneously, breath alcohol measurements were attained using a DRAGER 6820 certified breathalyzer. The results demonstrated a clear correlation between the alcohol concentration in the blood, breath, and via perspiration, which validated the embedded transdermal alcohol device reported in this work.

Highlights

IntroductionExcessive alcohol consumption is a serious public health and safety issue worldwide
Excessive alcohol consumption is a serious public health and safety issue worldwide.It can negatively affect human health across the lifespan by causing severe illnesses, namely: alcoholic hepatitis; liver cirrhosis; cancers; and high blood pressure [1,2,3]
We demonstrated that metal oxide gas sensors can be a good candidate to indirectly monitor the blood alcohol content using a human finger, via transdermal detection

Summary

Introduction

Excessive alcohol consumption is a serious public health and safety issue worldwide It can negatively affect human health across the lifespan by causing severe illnesses, namely: alcoholic hepatitis; liver cirrhosis; cancers (including throat, esophagus, liver, and breast); and high blood pressure [1,2,3]. Apart from this long list of health risks, it has great social and economic impacts [4,5]. Blood testing is the most reliable method and is often considered as a reference for all control techniques This invasive technique is accurate, reproducible, and reliable. It has several disadvantages, such as its cost; portability; the need for qualified personnel to collect and store the blood samples; the stages of the pre-treatment of the samples; and the extensive amount of time required to obtain the results (12 to 24 h)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion