Electrochemical Detection of White Spot Syndrome Virus With a Silicone Rubber Disposable Electrode Composed of Graphene Quantum Dots and Gold Nanoparticle-embedded Polyaniline Nanowires
Abstract Background: With the enormous increment of globalization and global warming, it is expected that the number of newly evolved infectious diseases will continue to increase. To prevent damage due to these infections, the development of a diagnostic method for detecting a virus with high sensitivity in a short time is highly desired. In this study, we have developed a high-sensitivity and high-accuracy disposable electrode and evaluated it for several target viruses.Results: Conductive silicon rubber (CSR) was used to fabricate a disposable sensing matrix composed of nitrogen and sulfur-codoped graphene quantum dots (N,S-GQDs) and a gold-polyaniline nanocomposite (AuNP-PAni). A specific anti-white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) antibody was conjugated to the surface of this nanocomposite, which was successfully applied for the detection of WSSV over a wide linear range of 1.45 × 102 to 1.45 × 10⁵ DNA copies/ml, with a detection limit as low as 48.4 DNA copies/ml.Conclusion: The engineered sensor electrode can retain the detection activity for up to 5 weeks, a vital long-term stability requirement for disposable sensing applications. This is the first demonstration of the detection of WSSV by a nanofabricated sensing electrode with high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability, providing a potential diagnostic tool to monitor WSSV in the aquaculture industry.