Sensitive and highly rapid electrochemical measurement of airborne coronaviruses through condensation-based direct impaction onto carbon nanotube-coated porous paper working electrodes

Rapid detection of indoor airborne viruses is critical to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Herein, we present sensitive, highly rapid electrochemical measurement of airborne coronaviruses through condensationbased direct impaction onto antibody-immobilized, carbon nanotube-coated porous paper working electrodes (PWEs). Carboxylated carbon nanotubes are drop-cast on paper fibers to make three-dimensional (3D) porous PWEs. These PWEs have higher active surface area-to-volume ratios and electron transfer characteristics than conventional screen-printed electrodes. The limit of detection and detection time of the PWEs for liquid-borne coronaviruses OC43 are 65.7 plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL and 2 min, respectively. The PWEs showed sensitive and rapid detection of whole coronaviruses, which can be ascribed to the 3D porous electrode structure of the PWEs. Moreover, water molecules condense on airborne virus particles during air sampling, and these waterencapsulated virus particles (<4 & mu;m) are impacted on the PWE for direct measurement without virus lysis and elution. The whole detection takes -10 min, including air sampling, at virus concentrations of 1.8 and 11.5 PFU/ L of air, which can be due to the highly enriching and minimally damaging virus capture on a soft and porous PWE, demonstrating the potential for the rapid and low-cost airborne virus monitoring system.

Automated summary

Rapid electrochemical measurement of airborne coronaviruses was achieved through condensation-based direct impaction onto carbon nanotube-coated porous paper working electrodes (PWEs). The 3D porous electrode structure of the PWEs enabled sensitive and rapid detection of whole coronaviruses, and water-encapsulated virus particles were directly measured on the PWEs without virus lysis and elution. The whole detection process took about 10 minutes, including air sampling, at virus concentrations of 1.8 and 11.5 PFU/L of air.