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Preparation of a highly sensitive graphene-based sensor to investigate the effect of exercise on electrolytes in sweat in hot and humid environment

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Abstract

In this study, we synthesized a reduced graphene oxide-manganese dioxide (rGO-MnO2) composite material using a one-step hydrothermal method and used it as a transducer layer in solid-state ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for monitoring potassium and sodium ions in sweat. The rGO-MnO2 composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), revealing its unique surface morphology and crystalline structures. Electrochemical characterizations, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potential response testing, demonstrated the excellent performance of the rGO-MnO2 composite material as a transducer layer in ISEs. The fabricated electrodes displayed good linear responses to potassium and sodium ions, with a voltage response of 36.4 mV and 47.6 mV per unit concentration change, respectively. The electrodes also exhibited improved resistance to gas interference, such as O2, N2, and CO2. We utilized these ISEs to measure changes in potassium and sodium ion concentrations in sweat samples collected over nine days of exercise, demonstrating the practical application of the rGO-MnO2-based ISEs. This work highlights the potential of using graphene/metal oxide composites as solid contact materials in ISEs for cost-effective and stable ion sensing applications.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China

    Jialin Han

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Contributions

Conceptualization JH. Software JH. Validation, JH. Formal analysis JH. Investigation JH. Resources JH. Data curation JH. Writing—original draft preparation JH. Writing—review and editing JH. Visualization JH. Supervision JH. Project administration JH. JH has read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jialin Han.

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Han, J. Preparation of a highly sensitive graphene-based sensor to investigate the effect of exercise on electrolytes in sweat in hot and humid environment. Carbon Lett. 33, 1959–1966 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-023-00542-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-023-00542-y

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