Simulation of Microfluidic Biosensor for Binding Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 S Protein Using the Electrothermal Effect

ABSTRACT

To contribute to the fight versus the coronavirus disease 2019, great efforts have been made by scientists around the world to improve the performance of detection devices so that they can efficiently and quickly detect the virus responsible for this disease. In this context we performed a two-dimensional finite element simulation on the binding kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 S protein of a biosensor using the alternating current electrothermal (ACET) effect. The ACET flow can produce vortex patterns, thereby improving the transportation of the target analyte to the binding surface and thus enhancing the performance of the biosensor. The results showed that the detection time can be improved under the electrothermal effect. The effect of certain design parameters concerning the reaction surface, such as its length as well as its position on the top wall of the microchannel, on the biosensor efficiency were also presented. Results showed that the decrease in the length of the binding surface can lead to an increase in the rate of the binding reaction and therefore decrease the biosensor response time. Also, moving the sensitive surface from an optimal position, which is opposite the electrodes, decreases the performance of the biosensor. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.