Development of a MEMS‐based electrochemical aptasensor for norovirus detection

Abstract

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide and spread through person‐to‐person transmission and contaminated food or water. A miniaturised microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)‐based electrochemical aptasensor, a biosensor using aptamer as the recognition element for simple, sensitive and rapid detection of NoV has been developed. The novelty of this work is integration of MEMS technology with aptamer to develop a miniaturised and portable electrochemical sensor for environmental pathogen monitoring. An MEMS electrochemical aptasensor device was prepared by immobilising a thiolated DNA aptamer on an on‐chip gold (Au) working electrode through the affinity between thiol and Au, and formation of a DNA aptamer monolayer was confirmed by means of cyclic voltammetry as well as visual observation of a fluorescent‐labelled aptamer. The MEMS electrochemical aptasensor exhibited rapid and clear square wave voltammetry response against different titres of murine norovirus, an experimental model of human NoV. The possibility of developing a handheld aptasensor platform using a portable electrochemical measurement device is also demonstrated. This research forms initial basis for the development of an electrochemical MEMS‐aptasensor platform and its application for virus detection.