Mass Spectrometry Covid-19 Test
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Science & Technology
- Published
4th Sep, 2020
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- Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of ions.
- Researchers from the New Delhi-based Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) have developed a new method of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), that uses mass spectrometry.
- Mass spectrometry can detect the presence and quantity of various organic and inorganic compounds by detecting the ions released by them.
- The technique uses mass spectrometry to detect two peptides (building blocks of the viral protein).
- This is the only method that directly observes the RNA as compared to RT-PCR where the proteins have to bind with a primer before we can detect it.
- This eliminates the possibility of a false negative if the quality of the RNA collected it not good and it does not bind or there is lysis (detergent) that prevents the RNA from binding.
- This testing is faster, cheaper, than and almost as accurate as the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test.
- The method eliminates the need for a biosafety lab, which makes it possible for it to be used at airports and railway stations to test passengers before they board a plane or a train.
