A PENCIL GRAPHITE BIOSENSOR FOR THE QUICK DETECTION OF SARS-COV-2

Edited by, JASPER VICTORIA

SARS-COV-2 may be currently be detected either with nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal samples, which are detected by RT-PCR assays. These are time consuming and the scientists are in swing developing new rapid detection test methods and kits.

The scientists have developed the Low-cost Electrical Advanced Diagnostic (LEAD) tool. These include materials that are low in cost and are easily available and accessible such as the pencil lead and a plastic vial.

Moreover, the kit is a DIY (do it yourself) kit. It consists of graphite leads used as transducer after modifying it with Angiotensin 2 Converting Enzyme receptor and the plastic vial.

The device detects the electrochemical reaction i.e. the affinity for binding of the SARS-COV-2 spike protein and the ACE 2 receptors, which takes place in the graphite leads and are converted into analytical signals and read by drop casting method.

The set also includes modifiers such as glutaraldehyde, nanoparticles of gold, bovine serum albumin, etc., which can be employed to increase, modify or adjust the high sensitivity of the test.

The ACE 2 receptors are stabilized in the graphite rod using the cyste-amine and modified with nanoparticles of gold. 

The sites other than the specific sites for interaction of the SARS-COV-2 spike protein are blocked using the Bovine serum albumin.

The oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal and saliva samples of 113 subjects were taken to evaluate the accuracy of the tool.

The tool kit detects SARS-COV-2 within 6.5 minutes.

The tool can be used also for other infections, if their receptors are also available to be employed in the detection.