AWARE: A Wearable Awareness with Real-time Exposure, for monitoring alcohol consumption impact through Ethyl Glucuronide detection

By Kinnamon, David; Lin, Kai-Chun; Sankhala, Devangsingh; Muthukumar, Sriram; Prasad, Shalini
Published in Alcohol 2018

Abstract

Here we demonstrate for the first time a dynamic monitoring of the ethanol metabolite Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) for a more robust evaluation of alcohol consumption compared to conventional methods. A wearable biosensor device capable of reporting EtG levels in sweat both continuously via low power impedance spectroscopy is reported. The custom hardware was compared against conventional benchtop potentiostat, demonstrating comparable results in the application space of EtG detection in low volume sweat. The device successfully differentiated three distinct EtG concentrations correlating to simulated drinking scenarios estimated to be 1, 2, and 3 standard U.S. drinks consumed over a duration of 60 minutes with p < 0.0001. This device has the potential to enable moderate drinkers to engage in guided decision making, based on objective data, addressing the needs of alcohol sensitive populations. The device also will serve as a tool for researchers to better understand and characterize the relationship between sweat EtG and consumed alcohol.

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