Table 3.

Nanotechnology-based sensors for detection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Sensor type	Viruses	Analytical data	Samples	Detection speed	Interferents	Detection medium	References
Polymeric nanoparticles coated with streptavidin dye	SARS-CoV-2	LOD: 12 copies Sensitivity: 100% (33/33) Specificity: 100% (96/96)	Oropharynx swab	60 min for the whole diagnosis	Absence of cross reactions	Colorimetric	[122]
Lanthanide-doped polysterene nanoparticles	SARS-CoV-2	Was used to test seven samples that were positive by RT-PCR and 12 that were negative Results of this assay: 8 positive and 11 negative	Blood serum	10 min	–	Fluorimetric	[123]
Poly (amino ester) with carboxyl groups coated magnetic nanoparticles (pcMNP)	SARS-CoV-2	LOD: 10 copies Linear range: 10–105 copies	Pseudovirus samples diluted in foetal calf serum	20 min for purification + subsequent RT-PCR reactions	Some signal amplifications in negative controls, although about 40 delayed cycles of a valid positive result	Direct RT-PCR	[116]
Gold nanoparticles	SARS-CoV-2	Sensitivity: 88.66% (352/397) Specificity: 90.63% (116/128)	Venous blood and finger prick	15 min	–	Colorimetric	[114]
Gold nanoislands	SARS-CoV-2	LOD: 0.22 pmol/L Linear range: 0.1 pmol/L–1 μmol/L Recovery rate: 26/5000 96% in mixing sample.	Synthetic oligonucleotides	–	–	Interferometry	[124]
Zinc ferrite nanoparticles	SARS-CoV-2	–	–	15 min Extract the viral RNA through automation process + subsequent RT-PCR reactions	–	Direct RT-PCR	[125]
Nanopore target sequencing (NTS)	SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses simultaneously	LOD: 10 copies Linear range: 10–3000 copies Specificity: 100% (5/5)	Oropharyngeal swabs	6–10 h	–	qPCR	[126]
Spike (S) protein specific nanoplasmonic resonance sensor	SARS-CoV-2	Linear range: 103 virus particle/mL–106 virus particle/mL LOD: 750 vp/mL	Pseudovirus diluted in bovine serum albumin (BSA)	15 min	–	Colorimetric	[127]