| dc.description.abstract | The global health landscape has been profoundly affected by the emergence and re-emergence of
contagious diseases such as SARS, MERS, Ebola, Zika, and most recently, SARS-COV-2. These
outbreaks highlight the urgent need for rapid, accurate, and accessible diagnostic tools to prevent
widespread transmission and mortality. While electrochemical sensors have shown promise in
detecting antigens of various infectious diseases, challenges such as sensitivity, selectivity, and
cross-reactivity persist, leading to false positives and reduced test accuracy. To tackle this
challenge, it's crucial to carefully optimize sensor design and choose the right capture agents. This
research presents an enhanced screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) that integrates gold
nanoparticles (AuNPs) and Staphylococcus protein A, employing a sandwich assay technique for
detecting antigens. The signal was then measured using the amperometry technique through a
reaction between conjugated HRP and luminol. Successful electrodeposition of AuNPs onto the
electrode surface enhances electrochemical signal and sensor sensitivity. Nonetheless,
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirms successful electrode step-by-step
modification. Experimental results confirm the sensor's effectiveness in detecting the SARS-COV-
2 N-protein, with a determined limit of detection (LOD) of 4.02 pg.mL-1 and a limit of
quantification (LOQ) of 13.4 pg.mL-1. Moreover, the stability and specificity test has been
conducted to prove the ability of the biosensor to detect SARS-COV-2 N-Protein without any
cross-reactivity with other viruses for an amount of time. While the results are promising, further
clinical validation is important to access the sensor's practical utility in real-world scenarios,
marking a crucial next step in this study. Moreover, this research establishes foundational data and
reference points that can be used to enhance this sensor for future detection of various patient
samples. | en_US |
