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Review Article

Biosensors Applications in Fighting COVID‑19 Pandemic

Shashi Bahl, Mohd Javaid1, Ashok Kumar Bagha2, Ravi Pratap Singh3, Abid Haleem1, Raju Vaishya4, Rajiv Suman5
Department of Mechanical Engineering, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, Hoshiarpur Campus, Hoshiarpur, Departments of 2Mechanical Engineering and
3
Industrial and Production Engineering, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jamia Millia
Islamia, 4Department of Orthopaedics, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, 5Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, G. B. Pant University of
Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract
Biosensors can measure nonpolar molecules, which is not possible by other conventional devices. These sensors provide high specificity and
fast response time. During COVID‑19, this technology has helped to identify the symptoms of the viral infection. It measures the respiration
rate, heart rate, temperature, and any movement in the real time for COVID‑19 patients. During any changes in the symptoms of the patient, this
technology rapidly contacts and advice to the health‑care service provider. It helps to monitor infected patients without any risk of contamination
easily. We have identified seven significant applications of the biosensors for the COVID‑19 pandemic. Tests of the COVID‑19 virus can
be carried out effectively by employing these biosensors more appropriately and productively. This technology has completely changed and
revolted the health‑care world to perform its intended functions in an ongoing situation. In the future, biosensors can offer better treatment of
the patients in an epidemic and pandemic, more productively and effectively.

Keywords: Applications, biosensors, COVID‑19, pandemic, virus

Introduction classes based on their involved mechanisms  (a) bioaffinity

group (including nucleic acids and antibodies), (b) bio‑catalytic
The systematic and smart contrivances, commonly known
group  (comprising enzymes), and  (c) microbe based
as Biosensors, are defined as the devices that transform
(containing microorganisms). All the countries, including
biological‑based signals or responses into an electrical
India, are fighting with the present COVID‑19 pandemic
wave or a signal that can further be developed or modified
and are desperately looking for a practical, cost‑effective,
to reveal some meaningful form of outcome. Mostly these
and environmental‑friendly solution to face the challenges
sensors are equipped with some transformation means and
emerging these days. Investigators in physical sciences and
sensing structure. These have been well recognized in terms
engineering are attempting to daze such challenges, grow new
of their excellent sensitivity and selectivity conditions.
theories, describe new study problems, generate user‑centered
Characteristically, a biosensor should be extremely précised,
explanations, and edify ourselves and the overall civilians.
sovereign of somatic parameters, environmentally benign,
This brief review has aimed to propose an awareness to
reproducibility, cost‑effective, and reusable. [1] The first
employ biosensors to inspect the situation appropriately
biosensor was developed to measure the oxygen in the
and make it healthier during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The
blood, by an American Biochemist Leland C. Clark Jr. The
sustainability of coronavirus is different on different surfaces.[1]
proper fabrication, development of biosensors, and its major
Some technologies have been reported to be very helpful in
constituents are materials, transforming contrivances, and
inspection and checking approach requisites interdisciplinary
Address for correspondence: Dr. Shashi Bahl,
exploration in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, and Department of Mechanical Engineering, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical
engineering domains. Based on the generations, there can be University, Hoshiarpur Campus, Hoshiarpur ‑ 146 001, Punjab, India.
three different types of biosensors, as explored in Figure 1. E‑mail: shashi.bahl@ptu.ac.in

Furthermore, the materials employed in the development

This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the
of biosensors can also be categorized into three different Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows
others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as
Access this article online appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.
Quick Response Code: For reprints contact: reprints@medknow.com
Website:
www.apollomedicine.org
Submitted: 21‑Jun‑2020  Revised: 23-Jun-2020  Accepted: 03-Jul-2020
Published: 29-Jul-2020
DOI: How to cite this article: Bahl S, Javaid M, Bagha AK, Singh RP,
10.4103/am.am_56_20 Haleem A, Vaishya R, et al. Biosensors applications in fighting COVID‑19
pandemic. Apollo Med 2020;17:221-3.

© 2020 Apollo Medicine | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow 221

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Bahl, et al.: Biosensors applications for COVID‑19

identifying and tracking infected patients.[2] The supply chain
has been greatly affected by the spread of the COVID‑19
virus.[3] Three‑dimensional printing is an important technology
for the production of different necessary items during these
days.[4] Many diabetes patients are facing challenges due to
the lockdown imposed.[5]
Biosensor
A biosensor is a device that consists of a biological element
(e.g., tissue, microorganisms, organelles, cell receptors,
enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids, etc.,) that can recognize
an analyte and is coupled to a transducer which generates a
signal proportional to the concentration of the analyte. There
are different biosensors available such as electrochemical
Figure 1: Types of biosensors based on generation
biosensor, physical biosensor, optical biosensor, and wearable
biosensor.[6] The main characteristics of biosensors are its
stability, less cost, high sensitivity, and reproducibility. These
biosensors are applicable in different fields such as frequent
health‑care checking, metabolites measurement, screening for
sickness, insulin treatment, clinical psychotherapy, and the
diagnosis of a disease.
Significant Applications of Biosensor
Technologies for COVID‑19 Pandemic
A biosensor can hold a significant impact to detect and measure
the COVID‑19 virus in the air. It quickly addresses the
challenges of biological barriers and technological limitations.
This technology helps to measure how a virus can remain in
air when it mostly spreads from person to person. It is also
helpful for infection‑related disease diagnosis. It automatically
analyzes various tests conducted in the laboratories and
cause of some infectious disease in the air. Table 1 discusses
the significant applications of biosensors for the COVID‑19
pandemic.
The health‑care facilities can utilize the data received from
biosensors for the remote screening of a large population
such as people being quarantined, patients being kept in care
home facilities, and the people who are vulnerable and at a
high degree of risk being in their home. It is suggested that

Table 1: Significant applications of biosensors for COVID‑19 pandemic

Applications Description
Virus detection The outbreaks of infectious viruses such as HIV‑1, hepatitis, influenza, dengue, zika, and COVID‑19 indulge a challenging
effect on the survival of all living species globally. These viruses affect lots of people, from time to time, and continuously
create health issues or problems. The research to develop vaccines is always a great challenge to the world. Thus, to develop
the vaccine for the above viruses, there is a need to sense it successfully and reliably. In this view, biosensors can put there a
significant impact[7]
Measure human body Biosensors are now available to measure the body temperature and seem better technology to identify the fever regarding the
temperature symptoms of the COVID‑19 virus. During a change in body temperature, it analyses the reason for disease. A physician can
quickly evaluate a particular disease by measuring body temperature[15]
Food quality monitoring Biosensors can be used to monitor the quality of the food products and to avoid infections due to foodborne pathogens.
(for COVID‑19 patients) Enzyme‑based biosensors are commonly used to monitor glucose in food products.[10] An amperometric biosensor is
developed to detect ascorbic acid in fruit juices and L‑lactate in wines.[11]
Environmental monitoring Biosensors are more effective than traditional methods such as chromatographic techniques for environmental monitoring
and measurement of virus of pollutants in situations such as the release of pesticides accidentally or acute poisoning.[12] Immunosensors and enzymatic
concentration in the air biosensors have emerged as the most important types of biosensors for monitoring the environment. However, aptasensors
are also becoming a popular choice due to their unique features such as easy to modify and thermal stability[13]
Wireless medical A new‑to‑market wireless medical biosensor patch to be employed for monitoring the COVID‑19 patients is
biosensor patch for underdevelopment. This new biosensor technology called as biosensor patch 1AX can be affixed on the chest of the patient
COVID‑19 monitoring without any assistance and can be disposed of safely after being used.[14] This biosensor can prove to be highly useful both
for the patients and the health‑care facilities. It possesses the capabilities to record the body temperature, rate of respiration,
ECG trace, and heart rate in real‑time patients
Helpful to predict from Biosensors could become part of our daily life and also having the capability to predict future diseases. This technology
future disease can easily monitor our health at home in real time. It can provide fitness applications and monitor patient status. It helps to
detect specific molecules and actionable insight into what is happening in our bodies.[16] In the future, this technology will be
applied for the proper monitoring of patient health to ovoid from future diseases
Bacteria detection Bacteria are found widely throughout nature and the surrounding environment. An average person holds more than 150 types
of bacteria that exist, both inside and outside the human body.[8] Bacteria can spread quickly and requires food, moisture,
and a favorable temperature. The evolutions of portable, fast, and sensitive biosensor technology are well suited for the
detection of bacteria, and optical biosensors can be well used. Optical biosensors can detect different types of bacteria such
as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium[9]
ECG: Electrocardiogram

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Bahl, et al.: Biosensors applications for COVID‑19
the present biosensing strategies require their continuous
upgradation to solve the increasing challenges in the diagnosis
of viruses. As it is observed that, in the present scenario, the
COVID‑19 virus spreads globally from person to person,
demanding the need to diagnose this kind of virus early.
Conclusion
Biosensors fulfill an important and useful role in the
challenging situation such as COVID‑19, where the health‑care
facility providers are looking for some smart and innovative
treatment or identifying a specific kind of devices for their
patients. The biosensors provide such opportunities to tackle
and confront the already raised issues and future challenges
more conveniently and effectively. These technologies are
useful for disease detection, positive environment provision,
monitoring, toxins of defense interest, monitoring of delivered
food quality, prosthetic devices, and medical discovery.
Biosensors can make a huge impact in turning the present
analytical methods into diagnostic strategies, by restructuring
their sensing strategies, upgrading conventional biosensors
using nanotechnology and biotechnology, and detecting
different viruses. There are general applications in health‑care
checking, metabolite measurement, screening for sickness,
insulin treatment, clinical psychotherapy, diagnosis of disease,
drug improvement, and offense detection regarding COVID‑19
disease.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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