SARS-CoV-2 Detection Using Colorimetric Plasmonic Sensors: A Proof-of-Concept Computational Study

Traditional molecular techniques for SARS-CoV-2 viral detection are time-consuming and can exhibit a high probability of false negatives. In this work, we present a computational study of SARS-CoV-2 detection using plasmonic gold nanoparticles. The resonance wavelength of a SARS-CoV-2 virus was recently estimated to be in the near-infrared region. By engineering gold nanospheres to specifically bind with the outer surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the resonance frequency can be shifted to the visible range (380 nm-700 nm). Moreover, we show that broadband absorption will emerge in the visible spectrum when the virus is partially covered with gold nanoparticles at a specific coverage percentage. This broadband absorption can be used to guide the development of an efficient and accurate colorimetric plasmon sensor for COVID-19 detection. Our observation also suggests that this technique is unaffected by the number of protein spikes present on the virus outer surface, hence can pave a potential path for a label-free COVID-19 diagnostic tool independent of the number of protein spikes.

Automated summary

Traditional molecular techniques for SARS-CoV-2 viral detection are time-consuming and can exhibit a high probability of false negatives. In this work, a computational study of SARS-CoV-2 detection using plasmonic gold nanoparticles is presented. The resonance frequency of the virus can be shifted to the visible range by engineering gold nanospheres to specifically bind with the outer surface of the virus. This research demonstrates the potential of developing an efficient and accurate colorimetric plasmon sensor for COVID-19 detection.