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How do controls on antigen COVID tests work? (edit)
Revision as of 08:20, 4 May 2022
, 08:20, 4 May 2022add coke experiment
==Experiment #1: Loading the test with only the provided buffer liquid==
==Experiment #1: Loading the test with only the provided buffer liquid==
[[File:Covid-test-buffer-only.jpg|alt=A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.|thumb|A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.]]
[[File:Covid-test-buffer-only.jpg|alt=A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.|thumb|A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with buffer liquid. The control line appears.]]
=== '''Reasoning''' ===
If the control on the rapid COVID test were to identify that the user correctly swabbed their nose, it should detect some molecules that are universally present in the human nose. Conversely, in this case the control line should not appear if the test is ''only'' loaded with the buffer liquid that is part of the test kit without having performed any swabbing.
If the control on the rapid COVID test were to identify that the user correctly swabbed their nose, it should detect some molecules that are universally present in the human nose. Conversely, in this case the control line should not appear if the test is ''only'' loaded with the buffer liquid that is part of the test kit without having performed any swabbing.
To test this, we loaded a antigen COVID test using only the buffer liquid without performing any swabbing. Within a few seconds after loading the test the ''control'' line appeared.
=== '''Test''' ===
To test this, we loaded a antigen COVID test using only the buffer liquid without performing any swabbing.
==='''Result'''===
==='''Result'''===
The control line that appears on a rapid COVID test '''does not''' indicate that one has correctly taken a sample, it '''only indicates that one loaded the test correctly.'''
Within a few seconds after loading the test the ''control'' line appeared. The control line that appears on a rapid COVID test '''does not''' indicate that one has correctly taken a sample, it '''only indicates that one loaded the test correctly.'''
== Experiment 2: Loading the test only with ''Coke Zero'' ==
=== '''Reasoning''' ===
[[File:Covid-coke-zero.png|alt=A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with Coke Zero. Initially only the control line appears, but after a while the test line appears too.|thumb|A rapid, antigen COVID test that was loaded only with ''Coke Zero''. Initially only the ''control'' line appears, but after a while the ''test'' line appears too.]]
We also had heard that kids are using sodas such as ''Coca Cola'' to turn their rapid COVID tests positive to not have to go to school. In good research fashion we decided to skip the literature research (which would have shown us that this is indeed the case<ref name=":0">https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210705-how-children-are-spoofing-covid-19-tests-with-soft-drinks</ref>) and immediately proceeded to testing whether this works.
=== '''Test''' ===
We loaded an antigen test only using a few drops of ''Coke Zero'' and observed which of the control & test lines would appear over time.
=== Result ===
As for the first experiment, the control line appeared within a few seconds. When revisiting the test strip after 30 minutes, the ''test'' line also appeared, giving the wrong indication of a positive test. Apparently, this is due to the acidity of the soda, which leads to the false-positive result<ref name=":0" />. In contrast, the pH of the buffer solution would be at around 8.
== References ==
<references />
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