Back to TLA

Direct Capture and Smartphone Quantification of Airborne SARS-CoV-2 on a Paper Microfluidic Chip

Case ID:

UA21-238

Invention:

This is a rapid, handheld smartphone-based paper microfluidic assay that is capable of directly detecting SARS-CoV-2 in small droplets from the air, without the need for an air sampler or a long collection time. The infected droplets are collected on a paper microfluidic chip, which then has antibody-conjugated submicron fluorescent particle suspension added, with the antibody binding to the SARS antigens and aggregation. A smartphone-based fluorescent microscope is then used to quantify the extent of the particle aggregation to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2. This method can be applied to other airborne viruses.

Background:
The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19, became a global pandemic in early March of 2020. Since then, the virus has infected more than 180 million people worldwide and has killed nearly 4 million. Although there are now vaccines to inoculate against the virus, only 23.2% of the world population has received a vaccine, and the vaccine is not 100% effective in protecting against the disease. Therefore, it remains imperative to be able to rapidly detect the virus when someone becomes infected, so that they can seek medical treatment and avoid spreading it to others.

While many COVID-19 diagnostics exist, many are unreliable or take many days to receive results. Furthermore, most COVID-19 tests cause discomfort for the individual being tested, deterring some from receiving the test. This technology instead can detect SARS-CoV-2 through small saliva droplets from an infected individual using a small microfluidic chip and a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope technology. The total assay time for this detection process is less than 30 minutes and is able to detect the virus from even small traces of the contaminated saliva. This is a low-cost and effective diagnostic method that has the potential to be applied to other airborne viruses.

Applications: