New Low-Cost Sensor Scans Sweat for Heavy Metals

Toxic heavy metals are prevalent in our surroundings, whether it’s a battery, cosmetics, or even our food. As we go about our daily lives, these metals accumulate in our bodies, which can lead to serious health problems. Detecting them in body fluids is expensive, and requires a controlled laboratory setting. According to a recent EurekAlert! article, a team of researchers at the University of São Paulo created a low-cost portable sensor that can detect heavy metals in easily-collected sweat samples.