Electroanalysis of Serum Amyloid a Protein Using Gold and Platinum Nanoparticles and Their Composites Based Bioelectrodes

Abstract

Viral infections pose a significant challenge to global health. Recent outbreaks such as SARS-CoV-2 and others in the past like SARS-CoV, MERS, H1N1 Influenza, Avian Influenza and many more, have already shaken the financial and health systems even in developed countries. These pandemics made us realise the necessity of controlling the spread of viral infections at an early stage. To have better control over this infection, there is a need for diagnostic devices that are capable of detecting viral infection at an early stage without taking a longer time, with less expertise required to handle the device and also safe to handle. As viruses are prone to mutations and can even escape the devices meant to detect a particular virus, so, we can look positively towards the role of biomarkers, which are not only early indicators of the presence of some foreign agents inside the human body but also easy to monitor. Serum Amyloid A protein is a promising viral infection biomarker as it elevates and decreases rapidly during the acute phase responses to infection and convalescent stage, respectively, as compared to any other biomarker. This behaviour helps to detect the viral infection at an early stage. Prevalent techniques either require longer times for diagnosis, along with transportation of samples or need expertise to be conducted, which further increases the risk of spread. Electrochemical biosensors have been emerging as a powerful diagnostic tool for biomarker detection with advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, cost effectiveness and rapid response, along with no skills requirement with no transportation. Measurable electrical signals recorded with these biosensors enable accurate quantification of biomarkers. Electrochemical biosensors require only a very small amount of the sample, as the biomarker is typically present in trace quantities, ranging from picograms to milligrams within the sample. So, to detect this concentration of biomarkers, the sensitivity of biosensors becomes very cruci