A Compact, Low-Cost, and Binary Sensing (BiSense) Platform for Noise-Free and Self-Validated Impedimetric Detection of COVID-19 Infected Patients
21 Pages Posted: 12 Apr 2022
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A Compact, Low-Cost, and Binary Sensing (BiSense) Platform for Noise-Free and Self-Validated Impedimetric Detection of COVID-19 Infected Patients
A Compact, Low-Cost, and Binary Sensing (BiSense) Platform for Noise-Free and Self-Validated Impedimetric Detection of COVID-19 Infected Patients
Abstract
Electrochemical immuno-biosensors are one of the most promising approaches for accurate, rapid, and quantitative detection of protein biomarkers. However, the realization of multiplex electrochemical point-of-care testing (ME-POCT) requires the advancement in portable, rapid reading, easy-to-use, and low-cost multichannel potentiostat readers. The combined multiplex biosensor strips and multichannel readers allow for suppressing the possible complex matrix effect or ultra-sensitive detection of different protein biomarkers. Herein, a handheld binary-sensing (BiSense) bi-potentiostat was developed to perform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based signal acquisition from a custom-designed dual working electrode immuno-biosensor. BiSense employs a commercially available microcontroller and out-of-shelf components, offering the cheapest yet accurate and reliable time-domain impedance analyzer. A specific electrical board design was developed and customized for impedance signal analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N)-protein biosensor in spiked samples and alpha variant clinical nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples. BiSense showed the limit of detection (LoD) down to 56 fg/mL for working electrode 1 (WE1) and 68 fg/mL for WE2 and reported with a dynamic detection range of 1 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL for the detection of N-protein in spiked samples. The dual biosensing of N-protein in this work was used as a self-validation of the biosensor. The low-cost (~$40 USD) BiSense bi-potentiostat combined with the immuno-biosensors successfully detected COVID-19 infected patients in less than 10 min, with the BiSense reading period shorter than 1.5 min, demonstrating its potential for the realization of ME-POCTs for rapid and hand-held diagnosis of infections.
Note:
Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research of Canada (NSERC) for their Rapid COVID-19 Response fundings. The authors also acknowledge the Canada Research Chair, NSERC CREATE, Wearable Technology Research and Collaboration (We-TRAC) Training Program (Project No. CREATE/511166-2018), University of Calgary, and CMC – Microsystems, Canada for supporting this research.
Conflict of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethical approval: The clinical testing was performed in a specialized laboratory
equipped with Class II Biosafety cabinet and according to the ethics # REB20-1032 and safety
protocols confirmed by the University of Calgary
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, electrochemical biosensing, bi-potentiostat, point-of-care, rapid tests
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