Paper-Based Electrochemical Sensor: COVID-19 Detection in Less Than 5 Minutes

Alongside the race of COVID-19 vaccines with Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccine in the lead, the development of COVID-19 testing is also being pursued by several researchers' teams.

University of Illinois College of Engineering reports that one of their graduate students co-develops a rapid ultra-sensitive test utilizing a paper-based chemical. This electrochemical sensor can identify whether a patient is positive for COVID-19 or not.

ALSO READ: New CRISPR-Based COVID-19 Diagnosis Technique, Utilizes Smartphone Camera

Bioengineering graduate from the University of Illinois, Maha Alafeef said in a statement published in Eureka Alert that their team responds to the global need from a complete approach through the development of multidisciplinary tools for early detection and diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19.

Swab testing

(Photo : fernandozhiminaicela)

It is known that the available testing for the said disease is the swab testing, where according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is available and can be acquired through the health departments of the local and the state. Medical News Today added that some of the United States counties aim to get the results of the swab testing from three to five days. University of California Davis (UC Davis) Health describes swab testing procedure through the insertion of a Q-tip like material into the cavity between the nose and mouth for 15 seconds, rotating it several times.

Graphene as Sensor

The researchers note in the University of Illinois' article that the gra[hene-based biosensors' main advantage is their low cost of production, sensitivity, and rapid detection.

Alafeef added in the release that graphene demonstrates unique electrochemical and mechanical properties that make it ideal for the advancement of sensitive electrochemical sensors.

How Does it Work?

According to Eureka Alert, the viral RNA's hybridization with the said probes causes a change in the sensor's electrical response. Researchers also noted in the article that the AuNP caps or the gold nanoparticles hasten the electron transfer and, when broadcasted over the sensing platform, causes an increase in the output signal that means the virus's presence.

Alafeef expresses her delight in Science Daily as she states that her project impacts helping a real-world problem.

Science Daily also further that the platform has far-reaching applications because of its portability and low cost.

The University of Illinois notes that it can be utilized in the doctor's office or even at home when combined with microcontrollers and LED screens. The research team added that the system they were able to develop could be reassigned in detecting other diseases.

Categories of COVID-19 Diagnosis in the Market

According to Science Daily, there are two categories of COVID-19 tests available on the market. They mentioned that one is using transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nucleic acid hybridization strategies to identify the viral RNA. Eureka Alert adds the second way of diagnosing COVID-19 is through the detection of antibodies. The University of Illinois notes that the drawback with these tests is that it takes so much time before the tests are complete.

READ NEXT: Tennessee Accidentally Lists COVID-19 Testing Materials on Auction Site
Check out more news and information on the COVID-19 on MD News Daily.