Waveguide-Based Microwave Nitric Oxide Sensor for COVID-19 Screening: Mass Transfer Modulation Effect on Hollow...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Sensing
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Serious acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents a global health challenge.
• Volatile organic components in breath are emerging biomarkers for COVID-19 detection.
• Nitric oxide (NO) is a key indicator of respiratory tract inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel gas sensor for detecting trace levels of NO in exhaled breath.
• To evaluate the sensor's potential for preliminary COVID-19 diagnosis.
• To assess the sensor's performance characteristics, including sensitivity, selectivity, and limit of detection.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a hollow multishelled structured WO3 (HoMSs-WO3)-based waveguide microwave gas sensor (MGS).
• Detection of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled breath samples.
• Comparison of MGS measurements with a commercial Sunvou detector for clinical samples.

Main Results:

• The HoMSs-WO3 MGS demonstrated high sensitivity (39.27 dB/ppm) and a low detection limit (2.52 ppb) for NO.
• The sensor exhibited excellent reusability and selectivity.
• Measurements from the MGS showed strong correlation with the Sunvou detector for clinical COVID-19 patient breath samples, with a bias within 1.96 standard deviations.

Conclusions:

• The developed HoMSs-WO3 MGS shows significant potential for rapid, portable, and non-invasive COVID-19 screening.
• The sensor's ability to accurately detect NO in exhaled breath supports its use in preliminary diagnosis.
• This technology offers a promising new avenue for epidemiological screening of respiratory diseases.