Wearable sensors for monitoring workplace chemical exposures in occupational health management

Abstract

This review evaluates the current state of wearable chemical sensors for occupational health applications, emphasizing both their promise and their limitations. We systematically compare electrochemical, optical, photoionization, and chemiresistive platforms in terms of detection limits, selectivity, drift behavior, and calibration requirements. Evidence from field trials—such as the performance of electrochemical CO and H₂S monitors in mining and firefighting and the variable accuracy of portable infrared analyzers for anesthetic gases in healthcare—illustrates both successful deployments and persistent challenges including calibration drift, power demands, and user acceptance. Beyond analytical performance, practical factors such as device weight, comfort, battery life, and data privacy compliance emerge as critical determinants of adoption. We further examine integration into occupational workflows, highlighting how calibration and quality assurance routines, interoperability with occupational health systems, and ethical frameworks for worker consent shape real-world utility. While significant progress has been achieved through advances in materials science, wireless communication, and machine learning-enabled analytics, the lack of wearable-specific validation standards (ISO, ASTM, and NIOSH) continues to impede regulatory acceptance. Future research should therefore prioritize robust field validation, development of consensus performance benchmarks, and hybrid sensing architectures that balance sensitivity, selectivity, and usability. Taken together, this review positions wearable chemical sensors as a promising but still maturing tool for proactive occupational exposure monitoring, requiring continued refinement before widespread regulatory adoption.