A Brief Review of Graphene-Based Biosensors Developed for Rapid Detection of COVID-19 Biomarkers

Abstract

The prevalence of mutated species of COVID-19 antigens has provided a strong impetus for identifying a cost-effective, rapid and facile strategy for identifying the viral loads in public places. The ever-changing genetic make-up of SARS-CoV-2 posts a significant challenfge for the research community to identify a robust mechanism to target, bind and confirm the presence of a viral load before it spreads. Synthetic DNA constructs are a novel strategy to design complementary DNA sequences specific for antigens of interest as in this review’s case SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Small molecules, complementary DNA and protein–DNA complexes have been known to target analytes in minimal concentrations. This phenomenon can be exploited by nanomaterials which have unique electronic properties such as ballistic conduction. Graphene is one such candidate for designing a device with a very low LOD in the order of zeptomolar and attomolar concentrations. Surface modification will be the significant aspect of the device which needs to have a high degree of sensitivity at the same time as providing a rapid signaling mechanism.

Nanotechnology in the COVID-19 era: Carbon-based nanomaterials as a promising solution

“…There have been an increasing number of studies on the use of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) for various biological and medical applications including biosensing, imaging, and therapy. A wide spectrum of biomolecules, including glucose, DNA and cholesterol, have been successfully detected with high sensitivity using graphene sensors [ 41 ]. Besides the electronic properties of graphene, the distinctive optical properties of GO allow for biomedical imaging and photothermal therapies.…”

Development of a Smart Wireless Multisensor Platform for an Optogenetic Brain Implant

“…Carbon electrodes can be functionalized with different modifications like nanomaterials from metals or metal oxides, semiconductors, polymers, hydrophilic materials, thiols, enzymes, etc. to increase the detection sensitivity and confer antifouling abilities for long-term stability [ 22 , 24 , 25 ]. Electrode surfaces can also be functionalized with aptamers.…”