Handheld, Graphene Multiplexed Sensor for Wastewater-Based Epidemiology

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is emerging as a vital tool for early detection of the emergence of diseases without the need for individual testing and reporting. This is enabled via virus shedding through bodily waste, which can be present up to two days before symptoms appear in infected individuals, albeit at low levels. Current detection methods, such as HPLC-MS and PCR, are time-consuming and require specialized equipment with highly trained personnel. This drives up the cost and turnaround time while limiting the widespread implementation of WBE for local detection, especially in resource-limited settings. Therefore, a fast, cost-effective, multiplexing, and sensitive viral wastewater detection platform could help health officials effectively implement measures to mitigate the spread of diseases. Here, I will present our recently developed handheld, graphene-based multiplexed platform utilizing high-specificity aptamers for rapid, sensitive, and simultaneous detection of virus proteins for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, and RSV in wastewater to accurately assess infected individuals in municipal communities. In addition, the device allows normalizing to the population, contributing to the signal by simultaneously measuring the presence of virus proteins and caffeine in wastewater. These results will highlight the selectivity and specificity of the platform in wastewater as well as the limits of detection.