Ketones are important biomarkers used to clinically diagnose and monitor the status or severity of conditions related to diabetes. Elevated ketone levels can indicate diabetes complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), or signal the body’s fat-burning state during ketosis. The three most abundant ketones—beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), acetoacetate, and acetone—are produced in the liver through the oxidation of fatty acids. This process is triggered when the body experiences glucose deficiency, and ketones serve as an alternative energy source. Of these, BHB is the most prevalent and clinically significant for assessing metabolic states.

The project aims to create a wearable device designed for non-invasive and real-time monitoring of biochemical changes in sweat, enabling the measurement of low concentrations of ketones, with a specific focus on beta-hydroxybutyrate. Using plasmonic resonance and a gold nanolayer to produce heat, the device allows controlled and localized generation of sweat and is developed on a 2um-thick Parylene membrane. Further, an elastomeric microfluidic platform designed to capture, and route sweat, will have an integrated colorimetric beta-hydroxybutyrate assay for quantification, utilizing a sensing process that involves selective enzymatic reaction of the BHB with BHB dehydrogenase enzyme. This innovation holds the potential for early diagnosis and continuous management of diabetic ketoacidosis.