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Valencia Researchers Publish €1 Reagent-Free Sensor for Real-Time Airborne Virus Detection

The peer-reviewed study shows lab detection of a model virus without chemical markers, highlighting a path to low-cost monitoring pending real-world validation.

Overview

  • Teams at the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Universitat de València report a biosensor that identifies airborne pathogens without additional reagents.
  • The Talanta paper details LC resonant circuitry that registers frequency and amplitude shifts as viral particles pass through the sensing zone.
  • Initial experiments detected the M13 bacteriophage as a proof of concept, with applicability to other pathogens presented as a claim not yet validated in operational settings.
  • Researchers estimate a manufacturing cost of about €1, positioning the device for potential integration into early-warning systems in hospitals, schools and public transport, as well as smart buildings and wearables.
  • The authors note required advances in selectivity, detection limits and error rates under variable conditions, whereas conventional monitoring still depends on slower, reagent-based air sampling and lab analyses.