Reusable surface amplified nanobiosensor for the sub PFU/mL level detection of airborne virus

Abstract

We developed a reusable surface-amplified nanobiosensor for monitoring airborne viruses with a sub-PFU/mL level detection limit. Here, sandwich structures consisted of magnetic particles functionalized with antibodies, target viruses, and alkaline phosphatases (ALPs) were formed, and they were magnetically concentrated on Ni patterns near an electrochemical sensor transducer. Then, the electrical signals from electrochemical markers generated by ALPs were measured with the sensor transducer, enabling highly-sensitive virus detection. The sandwich structures in the used sensor chip could be removed by applying an external magnetic field, and we could reuse the sensor transducer chip. As a proof of concepts, the repeated detection of airborne influenza virus using a single sensor chip was demonstrated with a detection limit down to a sub-PFU/mL level. Using a single reusable sensor transducer chip, the hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza A (H1N1) virus with different concentrations were measured down to 10 aM level. Importantly, our sensor chip exhibited reliable sensing signals even after more than 18 times of the repeated HA sensing measurements. Furthermore, airborne influenza viruses collected from the air could be measured down to 0.01 PFU/mL level. Interestingly, the detailed quantitative analysis of the measurement results revealed the degradation of HA proteins on the viruses after the air exposure. Considering the ultrasensitivity and reusability of our sensors, it can provide a powerful tool to help preventing epidemics by airborne pathogens in the future.