Optimization of printed sensors to monitor sodium, ammonium, and lactate in sweat

Abstract

We describe the optimization of a flexible printed electrochemical sensing platform to monitor sodium ion (Na+), ammonium ion (NH4+), and lactate in human sweat. We used previously reported material systems and adapted them to scalable fabrication techniques. In the case of potentiometric Na+ and NH4+ sensors, ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) required minimum optimization beyond previously reported protocols, while a reference electrode had to be modified in order to achieve a stable response. We incorporated a carbon nanotube (CNT) layer between the membrane and the silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) layer to act as a surface for adsorption and retention of Cl-. The resulting reference electrode showed minimal potential variation up to 0.08 mV in the solutions with Cl concentration varying from 0.1 mM to 100 mM. Increasing the ionophore content in the NH4+ ISE sensing membrane eliminated an offset in the potential readout, while incorporating CNTs into the sensing membranes had a marginal effect on the sensitivity of both Na+ and NH4+ sensors. Na+ and NH4+ sensors showed a stable near-Nernstian response with sensitivities of 60.0 ± 4.0 mV and 56.2 ± 2.3 mV, respectively, long-term stability for at least 60 min of continuous operation, and selectivity to Na+ and NH4+. For the lactate sensor, we compared the performance of the tetrathiafulvalene mediated lactate oxidase based working electrode with and without diffusion-limiting polyvinyl chloride membrane. The working electrodes with and without the membrane showed sensitivities of 3.28 ± 8 A/mM and 0.43 ± 0.11 μA/mM with a linear range up to 20 mM and 30 mM lactate, respectively.