Heterogeneous-Nucleation Biosensor for Long-Term Collection and Mask-Based Self-Detection of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The effective control of infectious diseases, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, depends on the availability of rapid and accurate monitoring techniques. However, conventional SARS-CoV-2 detection technologies do not support continuous self-detection and may lead to cross-infection when utilized in medical institutions. In this study, we introduce a prototype of a mask biosensor designed for the long-term collection and self-detection of SARS-CoV-2. The biosensor utilizes the average resonance Rayleigh scattering intensity of Au nanocluster-aptamers. The inter-mask surface serves as a medium for the long-term collection and concentration enhancement of SARS-CoV-2, while the heterogeneous-nucleation nanoclusters (NCs) contribute to the exceptional stability of Au NCs for up to 48 h, facilitated by the adhesion of Ti NCs. Additionally, the biosensors based on Au NC-aptamers exhibited high sensitivity for up to 1 h. Moreover, through the implementation of a support vector machine classifier, a significant number of point signals can be collected and differentiated, leading to improved biosensor accuracy. These biosensors offer a complementary wearable device-based method for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2, with a limit of detection of 103 copies. Given their flexibility, the proposed biosensors possess tremendous potential for the continuous collection and sensitive self-detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants and other infectious pathogens.