A team led by an Indian-origin scientist has developed a rapid, ultrasensitive Covid-19 test using a paper-based electrochemical sensor that can detect the presence of the novel coronavirus in less than five minutes.
The researchers from the University of Illinois in the US created a graphene-based electrochemical biosensor with an electrical read-out setup to selectively detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material.
According to the research published in the journal ACS Nano, there are two components to this biosensor: a platform to measure an electrical read-out and probes to detect the presence of viral RNA.
To create the platform, the researchers led by professor Dipanjan Pan first coated filter paper with a layer of graphene nanoplatelets to create a conductive film.
They then placed a gold electrode with a predefined design on top of the graphene as a contact pad for electrical readout.
Both gold and graphene have high sensitivity and conductivity which makes this platform ultrasensitive to detect changes in electrical signals, the researchers noted.