
The Art of Sensing within the Skin
The art of tattooing may have found a diagnostic twist. A team of scientists in Germany have developed permanent dermal sensors that can be applied as artistic tattoos. As detailed in the journal Angewandte Chemie, a colorimetric analytic formulation was injected into the skin instead of tattoo ink. The pigmented skin areas varied their color when blood pH or other health indicators changed.
A tattooist places ink directly in the dermis, a roughly one-millimeter-thick layer of tissue that hosts nerves, blood vessels, and hair follicles. The tattoo needle punctures the epidermis, the uppermost layer of skin, and releases the pigments into the dermis below, where the pigments stain the skin permanently.
Using tattoos for diagnostic rather than cosmetic purposes is a new concept. Researcher Ali K. Yetisen, who works at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and his colleagues thought the technique could be helpful to place sensor formulations at spots in the body where they can record changes in metabolic substances directly, without any spatial distance or time delay, and perhaps for a very long period of time.
The researchers then identified and adapted three colorimetric chemical sensors that produce a color change in response to biomarkers. The first sensor was a rather simple pH indicator consisting of the dyes methyl red, bromothymol blue, and phenolphthalein. If injected into a model skin patch—a piece of pig skin—the resulting tattoo turned from yellow to blue if the pH was adjusted from five to nine.
The other two sensors probed the levels of glucose and albumin. Albumin is a carrier and transport protein in the blood. High glucose levels in the body may indicate diabetic dysfunction, whereas falling albumin levels can indicate liver or kidney failure. The glucose sensor consisted of the enzymatic reactions of glucose oxidase and peroxidase, which, depending on the glucose concentration, led to a structural change of an organic pigment, and a yellow to dark green color change. The albumin sensor was based on a yellow dye that, upon association with the albumin protein, turned green.
The scientists then applied several sensor tattoos onto patches of pig skin. When they changed the pH or the glucose or albumin concentrations, the colors of the decorated areas changed accordingly. They quantified these visible effects by evaluating the colors with a simple smartphone camera and an app.
The authors claim that such sensor tattoos could allow permanent monitoring of patients using a simple, low-cost technique. With the development of suitable colorimetric sensors, the technique could also extend to recording electrolyte and pathogen concentrations or the level of dehydration of a patient. Further studies will explore whether tattoo artwork can be applied in a diagnostic setting.
Learn more: The Art of Sensing within the Skin
The Latest on: Dermal tattoo sensors
[google_news title=”” keyword=”dermal tattoo sensors” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Dermal tattoo sensors
- Study: 35% of tattoo ink contains bacteriaon July 24, 2024 at 6:00 am
Regulators with the Food and Drug Administration are calling for closer monitoring of tattoo and permanent makeup ink after a recent study showed 35% of such inks contain bacteria that carry the risk ...
- A surprising amount of tattoo ink is contaminated with bacteria, study findson July 22, 2024 at 5:00 pm
“Our findings reveal that unopened and sealed tattoo inks can harbor anaerobic bacteria, known to thrive in low-oxygen environments like the dermal layer of the skin, alongside aerobic bacteria,” said ...
- Optical sensors articles from across Nature Portfolioon July 18, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Optical sensors are a broad class of device for detecting light intensity. This can be just a simple component for notifying when ambient light levels rise above or fall below a prescribed level ...
- Tattoo Ink Found to Be Contaminated With Bacteriaon July 18, 2024 at 1:42 pm
Tattoo ink tested from different manufacturers are contaminated with aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including possibly pathogenic microorganisms, warn investigators.
- Thinking about getting a tattoo? New research might change your mindon July 18, 2024 at 11:14 am
Sealed bottles of tattoo and permanent makeup ink, including some marked as sterile, contained millions of potentially dangerous bacteria, according to new research by the US Food and Drug ...
- Inside the tradition of Olympic rings tattoos and why it's an 'exclusive club'on July 16, 2024 at 4:08 am
Nevin Harrison had been an Olympic gold medalist for less than a month when she decided to get her very first tattoo − the iconic symbol of five interlocking rings, stenciled into the side of ...
- Sensors articles from across Nature Portfolioon July 15, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Sensors are devices that detect and quantify physical aspects of the world around us. The measurement can either be read directly or converted to a signal for processing by electrical, hydraulic ...
- The Best Smart Water Leak Detectors for 2024on July 9, 2024 at 5:00 pm
You can save a lot of money and hassle by installing a smart water sensor. The best models we've tested immediately alert you to leaks and even shut off the water ...
- Sleeve Tattoo Ideas to Inspire Your Next Masterpieceon June 27, 2024 at 8:45 am
When considering a tattoo, our arms are often the first placement option that comes to mind. Whether you like the delicate touch of a ring tattoo or chic wrist designs, there are many different ...
- The best motion-sensor trash cans for 2024on June 25, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Learn more › Trash doesn’t have to be a complete mess with the help of a motion-sensor trash can. While a trash can may seem like a banal part of your kitchen essentials, think about how many ...
via Bing News