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The scientists of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom have developed a low-cost biosensor that can detect the chunk of the COVID virus in the wastewater.

The sensor could be used to monitor the widespread COVID-19 prevalence in the underdeveloped and low to middle income countries as they struggle to carry out mass human testing. The research has also been published in the 'Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical' journal.

The portable equipment that uses the standard PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test to detect the COVID virus can use the sensor without requiring the lab infrastructure and the expensive chemicals that are needed for the actual PCR tests.

The scientists have tested the sensor with wastewater collected from one of Mumbai's sewage treatment plants surging with SARS-Cov-2 RNA.

A printed circuit board electrode is used by the sensor to detect the chunks of the SARS-Cov-2 nucleic acid combined with methylene blue (an easily accessible salt used for dye and medication) and is added to the sample to process a quantifiable electrochecmical signal. The electrodes which are used for the detection are easy to clean, reusable, possess a long shelf-life and do not show any changes that could affect their capabilities.