Desenvolvimento de eletrodo de carbono em substrato polimérico para a detecção eletroquímica de SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

With the advancement of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for efficient diagnostics for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged. The gold standard method for detection of genetic material is the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). However, this method requires several reagents, people trained to perform the diagnosis, in addition to a high cost and high time for the result. Here, we report the production of a polyimide-printed carbon electrode for construction of an electrochemical immunosensor for the rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Unlike most reported approaches that use samples collected with a nasopharyngeal swab, here we use saliva samples for the detection of SARS-Cov-2. Saliva is easily collected by the patient and does not need processing to be used in the biosensor. Using carbon electrodes produced in a polymeric matrix, these were characterized, and then modified. By modifying the electrode with rhodamine 6G, it was possible to immobilize the antibody (antiglycoprotein S) and detect the formation of the antibody-antigen complex in saliva samples. The detection was performed using the cyclic voltammetry technique. Thus, the polyimide-printed carbon electrode shows itself as a promising platform for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2.