Diagnosing diabetes could soon be as easy as breathing. Researchers at Penn State have developed a sensor that detects acetone in breath, offering a fast, inexpensive way to identify diabetes and prediabetes.
About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five doesn’t know it.
Current testing often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.
The new approach uses a breath sample to provide results within minutes.
The sensor focuses on acetone, a natural byproduct of fat metabolism. Everyone exhales acetone, but levels above 1.8 parts per million signal diabetes risk. Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics at Penn State, said this method avoids challenges of earlier efforts.
“While we have sensors that can detect glucose in sweat, these require that we induce sweat through exercise, chemicals or a sauna, which are not always practical or convenient,” Cheng said. “This sensor only requires that you exhale into a bag, dip the sensor in and wait a few minutes for results.”
Cheng noted that past breath sensors detected biomarkers needing lab analysis. This device allows on-site readings, cutting cost and time.
Building the sensor
The team relied on laser-induced graphene, a porous material made by burning polyimide film with a CO2 laser. Cheng compared the process to over-toasting bread, which turns into carbon black.
Adjusting laser settings produces few-layered, porous graphene ideal for sensing gases.
Because laser-induced graphene alone lacked selectivity, the researchers combined it with zinc oxide.
The junction between the two materials made the device more effective at spotting acetone molecules.
Breath moisture posed another obstacle. The humid air could interfere by sticking to the sensor.
To solve this, the team added a special membrane that blocked water molecules but let acetone pass through.
“A junction formed between these two materials that allowed for greater selective detection of acetone as opposed to other molecules,” Cheng said.
Next steps in testing
Right now, people must breathe into a bag for accurate results. This prevents environmental airflow from disrupting detection.
Cheng and his team want to design a version that works directly under the nose or inside a mask.
He also sees broader health uses. “If we could better understand how acetone levels in the breath change with diet and exercise, in the same way we see fluctuations in glucose levels depending on when and what a person eats, it would be a very exciting opportunity to use this for health applications beyond diagnosing diabetes,” he said.
Funding for the research came from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Li Yang, a visiting scholar in the Penn State Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics at the time, served as the first author.
The study is published in the journal Chemical Engineering Journal.
Aamir Khollam Aamir is a seasoned tech journalist with experience at Exhibit Magazine, Republic World, and PR Newswire. With a deep love for all things tech and science, he has spent years decoding the latest innovations and exploring how they shape industries, lifestyles, and the future of humanity.