On-The-Spot Sampling and Detection of Viral Particles on Solid Surfaces Using a Sponge Virus Sensor Incorporated with...

Area of Science:

• Biosensors and electrochemical sensing
• Materials science for surface analysis
• Infectious disease diagnostics

Background:

• Current methods for virus detection on surfaces are often time-consuming and require complex laboratory procedures.
• There is a need for rapid, portable, and on-site diagnostic tools for infectious agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a sponge-based electrochemical sensor for rapid, on-site collection and analysis of infectious viruses from solid surfaces.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance using influenza A virus as a model.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a conducting porous sponge electrode modified with graphene, graphene oxide, and antibodies.
• Development of a portable device with a push-release mechanism for electrolyte dispensing.
• On-site sampling by swiping a misted surface with the sponge, followed by electrochemical measurements.

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated a limit of detection of 0.4 TCID50/mL for H1N1 virus.
• A practical concentration range of 1-10^6 TCID50/mL was achieved.
• A 15% collection efficiency was obtained from a single-run swipe on a tabletop surface.

Conclusions:

• The sponge-based electrochemical sensor enables rapid, on-site virus detection on solid surfaces.
• The device simplifies sample collection and analysis, eliminating the need for pretreatment.
• This technology holds significant potential for point-of-care infectious disease diagnostics.