A skin-worn sensor that detects toxic ammonia could transform workplace safety and environmental monitoring, offering real-time alerts and noninvasive health screening while remaining reliable under real-world conditions
In a development that could reshape industrial safety and environmental monitoring, researchers at Hanbat National University in South Korea have unveiled a wearable sensor capable of detecting dangerous levels of ammonia gas both visually and electronically.
Ammonia, a chemical widely used in fertilizers, refrigerants, emerging fuels, and even as a biomarker in medical applications, is highly toxic. Exposure can lead to respiratory irritation, chest pain, pulmonary edema, and in severe cases, death. The new device, which can be worn on the skin, is flexible, stretchable, and designed to function reliably even in humid conditions, offering a practical tool for real-world applications.
Ammonia is the second-most-produced chemical globally and has long been central to technological advancement. But its hazards have made effective detection essential, particularly in industrial settings, cold-chain refrigeration, agricultural operations, and emerging energy systems.
Traditional sensors have relied on either chemiresistive technology, which measures electrical changes in response to gas, or colorimetric systems, which change color in response to chemical exposure.
Chemiresistive sensors are fast but can lack stability and selectivity, while colorimetric sensors are highly resistant to humidity but often slow to recover. Combining these two approaches has long been a goal for researchers aiming to develop a reliable dual-mode sensor.
The Hanbat National University team, led by Professor Hyun Il Kang from the Department of Electrical Engineering, has taken a significant step forward. Their sensor integrates a chemiresistive layer made of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) with a colorimetric layer based on bromocresol green, mounted on a highly gas-permeable polymer nanofiber platform.
“Our device provides flexibility and facilitates efficient transport of NH3 between the bromocresol-green-based colorimetric and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)-based chemiresistive sensing layers. This innovative dual-mode design enables reliable NH3 detection,” Prof. Kang told Impact Newswire.
A key advantage of the dual-mode approach is redundancy. The researchers found that the detection performance of either individual layer is comparable to the combined platform, meaning the sensor remains accurate even if one sensing mode fails.
The device also maintains performance under mechanical stress and high humidity, allowing it to function when attached directly to human skin. This capability opens the door to applications ranging from personal safety monitoring for workers handling ammonia, to industrial refrigeration and livestock operations, noninvasive breath-based health screening, and even ammonia-powered vehicle systems.
Prof. Kang envisions broader applications over the next five to ten years. “This kind of dual-mode, skin-mountable NH3 sensing could enable everyday ‘smart PPE’ that gives early, intuitive leak warnings and remains reliable in humid, real-world conditions, reducing workplace injuries and deaths from ammonia exposure,” he said.
He added that the same platform could support continuous environmental monitoring and noninvasive health diagnostics, where ammonia serves as a biomarker, enhancing preventive care.
Published in Advanced Fiber Materials in December 2025, the research presents a new paradigm in sensor engineering. By combining robustness, selectivity, and reproducibility in a single wearable device, the study establishes a foundation for a wide variety of industrial, biomedical, and environmental applications, offering a glimpse of how next-generation wearable technology could make workplaces safer and health monitoring more proactive.
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