Engineers and scientists from Italy have transformed a common post-pandemic accessory—the face mask—into a powerful diagnostic tool capable of detecting chronic kidney disease (CKD) by analyzing a person’s breath. The device uses embedded gas sensors to identify disease-linked compounds with over 93% accuracy, offering a non-invasive, low-cost method for monitoring a condition that affects nearly 10% of the global population.
The new technology is built into FFP2-style face masks and incorporates four miniature gas sensors positioned between the mask’s inner fabric layers. These sensors track chemical signatures in exhaled breath associated with poor kidney function, including ammonia, acetone, dimethyl sulfide, and trimethylamine. When kidney function declines, these substances accumulate in the body and become detectable in the breath.
To achieve this, researchers developed a sensor system using porphyrins—molecules structurally similar to those found in hemoglobin—and a conductive polymer called PEDOT/PSS. The materials were printed on a flexible substrate that comfortably fits inside the mask without disrupting wearability.
The team’s prototype design allows users to simply wear the mask and follow a brief breathing routine—first normal breathing, then a slightly faster pace. This standardizes the data collection, compensating for the absence of a reference gas and ensuring consistency in breath sampling.
In tests involving 101 participants—53 with diagnosed CKD and 48 healthy individuals—the system successfully distinguished between patients and healthy controls using linear discriminant analysis. The results were striking: the device correctly identified CKD cases 93.3% of the time and healthy controls 86.7% of the time. Researchers also believe the sensor could eventually indicate the severity of the disease, helping doctors monitor progression and tailor treatments more precisely.
The breath-based diagnostic system holds particular promise for low-resource environments or emergency situations where access to traditional laboratory testing is limited. Current CKD monitoring relies on blood and urine tests, which are costly, invasive, and often unavailable in remote areas. In contrast, this face mask sensor offers a reusable, portable solution that could streamline routine monitoring.
Beyond kidney disease, the platform has potential to detect other conditions with identifiable breath markers, such as diabetes, liver disease, and some cancers. The widespread adoption of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for this innovation, making the idea of integrating health sensors into everyday wear more acceptable and practical.
This study, published in ACS Sensors, demonstrates a significant advance in wearable medical technology. It blends familiarity with function, turning a symbol of the pandemic into a potential cornerstone of future health diagnostics—quietly analyzing breath and offering life-saving insights with every exhale.
By Impact Lab
