Ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensors based on zinc sulfide/graphene hybrid for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and fatal disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In general, the diagnostic tests for COVID-19 are based on the detection of nucleic acid, antibodies, and protein. Among different analytes, the gold standard of the COVID-19 test is the viral nucleic acid detection performed by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. However, the gold standard test is time-consuming and requires expensive instrumentation, as well as trained personnel. Herein, we report an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor based on zinc sulfide/graphene (ZnS/graphene) nanocomposite for rapid and direct nucleic acid detection of SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrated a simple one-step route for manufacturing ZnS/graphene by employing an ultrafast (90 s) microwave-based non-equilibrium heating approach. The biosensor assay involves the hybridization of target DNA or RNA samples with probes that are immersed into a redox active electrolyte, which are detectable by electrochemical measurements. In this study, we have performed the tests for synthetic DNA samples and, SARS-CoV-2 standard samples. Experimental results revealed that the proposed biosensor could detect low concentrations of all different SARS-CoV-2 samples, using such as S, ORF 1a, and ORF 1b gene sequences as targets. This microwave-synthesized ZnS/graphene-based biosensor could be reliably used as an on-site, real-time, and rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42114-023-00630-7.

Fe3O4@MIL-100(Fe) modified ZnS nanoparticles with enhanced sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic in water

“…The results show that the characteristic diffraction peaks of ZnS are located at 26.8, 28.5, 30.5, 39.6, 47.5, 51.7 and 56.4° corresponding respectively to the (1 0 0), (0 0 2), (1 0 1), (1 0 2), (1 1 0), (1 0 3) and (1 1 2) crystal planes of wurtzite ZnS (JCPDS No. 36-1450) [22] . The XRD diffraction peaks of FM are located at 10.8, 14.2, 18.5, 19.8, 24.0 and 27.8° corresponding respectively to the (4 2 8), (0 8 8), (7911), (4814), (6618) and (9321) crystal planes of MIL-100(Fe).…”

An overview of electrochemical biosensors used for COVID-19 detection

“…Electrochemical biosensors offer a faster and more affordable alternative for the direct detection of viral nucleic acid. 47 Biosensors aimed at detecting the nucleic acid of the virus allow for direct analysis of the viral genetic material present in the sample, and are also known as DNA biosensors or genosensors. 25,53,63 The article by Wu et al 65 .…”

“…These advancements not only hold promise for enhanced diagnostic capabilities but also signify a signicant step towards improved public health measures and a more comprehensive understanding of the virus's behavior and its impact on human immunity. 39,47,[71][72][73][74] 1.1.4 MIP-based electrochemical biosensors in SARS-CoV-2 detection. Most of the developed diagnostic tools are based on biological recognition elements, i.e.…”

“…These devices have the potential to be used for diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of the disease course in the context of personalized medicine. 35,47 Some notable materials for the functionalization of surfaces include biosensors based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs); this material aims to increase charge transfer efficiency. Biosensors can be divided into several categories according to the working principle of the transduction element, such as electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, and gravimetric biosensors, among others.…”

Graphene-based biosensors for detecting coronavirus: a brief review

“…Similarly, a metal graphene hybridized ( e.g. ZnS/G) ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor for the rapid detection of SARS-COV-2 was developed by Sarwar et al 78 The nanocomposite sensor was fabricated by employing a step microwave-based non-equilibrium heating route on the glassy carbon electrode. Based on the previous electrochemical measurements in the testbed of biosensors, the LOD was 4.453 × 10 –20 M for the synthetic DNA and 4.453 × 10 –20 M for the SARS-CoV-2 standard, respectively.…”