Researchers have developed a groundbreaking face mask with built-in sensors that can identify chronic kidney disease through breath analysis, promising easier, non-invasive diagnostics.
Researchers from the University of Rome have developed a face mask that can detect chronic kidney disease (CKD) through a simple breath test, potentially revolutionizing how the disease is diagnosed and monitored. This breakthrough face mask, featuring an embedded gas sensor, promises a non-invasive, cost-effective alternative to traditional diagnostic methods.
Chronic kidney disease affects millions of people worldwide, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating that 35 million Americans suffer from the condition. Early diagnosis is critical, but current detection methods require blood or urine tests, which can be cumbersome and expensive.
The research, recently published in ACS Sensors, details how the team incorporated specialized sensors into a standard FFP2-style face mask to detect specific metabolites associated with CKD.
The face mask’s sensor uses silver electrodes coated with a conductive polymer modified with porphyrins. This setup increases the sensor’s sensitivity to volatile compounds, including ammonia, which is present at elevated levels in the breath of CKD patients.
Caption: Embedded between the fabric layers of this FFP2-style face mask is a specialized gas sensor that could help diagnose chronic kidney disease from a person’s breath.
Credit: Adapted from ACS Sensors 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.4c03227
Initial tests of the mask involved 100 participants, half of whom had been diagnosed with CKD. The results were promising: the sensor accurately detected CKD in 84% of cases and correctly identified non-CKD individuals 88% of the time.
“The implementation of this technology is expected to enhance the management of CKD patients by facilitating the timely identification of changes in disease progression,” co-authors Sergio Bernardini and Annalisa Noce, from the University of Rome, said in a news release.
Such advancements could dramatically improve how CKD is managed, enabling frequent and easy monitoring of the disease’s progression and potentially improving patient outcomes by allowing for earlier intervention.
Funding for this research was provided by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU project.
The development of this diagnostic tool is not just a technical milestone; it represents a leap toward more accessible health care. With face masks having become a common sight during the COVID-19 pandemic, the integration of health-monitoring capabilities into everyday items could pave the way for innovations in other areas of medical diagnostics.
Source: American Chemical Society