Electrochemical Immunosensor for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Virus | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Chemistry | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 25 November 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejchem.2025.413319.12175 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Mohamed Ahmed Abdel- Qader Abdel-Hamid Hassan* 1; Salah S. Elyan2; Hend Hesham Mohamed3; Nahla Abdelshafi4 | ||
| 1Basic Sciences Department, High Institute of Engineering and Technology, 21 k Belbies- Cairo Rd., Al-Obour, Egypt. | ||
| 2School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo, 11829, Egypt | ||
| 3School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City 11829, Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 4Department of Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the need for rapid, affordable, and reliable SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tools suitable for decentralized use. Although RT-PCR remains the gold standard, its high cost, technical complexity, and slow processing limit its practicality for point-of-care testing. This study presents a screen-printed electrochemical immunosensor designed for fast and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens in clinical samples. The sensor incorporates a dual-working electrode configuration that enables real-time internal referencing and employs a graphene/titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanocomposite to improve electron transfer and signal responsiveness. An optimized 90:10 (w/w) graphene-to-TiO₂ ratio, identified through cyclic voltammetry, provided the strongest electrochemical performance. One working electrode was functionalized with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, while the second acted as a reference; antigen binding caused current suppression measured by differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry. The system achieved a detection limit of 0.58 ng/mL, a quantification limit of 1.77 ng/mL, and demonstrated high accuracy (102 ± 2.6%) and precision (RSD = 4.3%) in spiked serum. By combining nanomaterial synergy with low-cost screen-printing, this immunosensor offers a scalable, field-ready platform that supports rapid and reliable SARS-CoV-2 detection, particularly in resource-limited settings. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Electrochemical immunosensor; SARS-CoV-2 detection; Screen-printed electrode (SPE); Graphene/TiO₂ nanocomposite; Point-of-care diagnostics | ||
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