Salah satu strategi untuk mengatasi pandemi Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) ialah melalui diagnosis infeksi virus SARS-CoV-2 secara dini melalui Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Uji RT-PCR merupakan uji deteksi dan kuantifikasi asam nukleat. Salah satu metode ekstraksi asam nukleat adalah dengan bantuan material berbasis silika sebagai kolom matriks. Pada penelitian ini; dilakukan preparasi matriks Silica Coarse (SC) dalam matriks berwujud kolom suspensi, serbuk halus, dan keping cakram yang bersumber dari mineral aluminosilikat kaolin. Kemampuan pengikatan matriks SC berbasis mineral alam tersebut telah berhasil ditingkatkan dengan bantuan kation penyeimbang Na+ dan Guanidium+ yang dijenuhkan di dalam kerangka kaolin. Dilakukan pula upaya peningkatan sifat mekanik cakram SC melalui pengikatan dengan PEG 1500. Matriks Silica Coarse (SC) yang telah mengandung Na+ dan Guanidium+ kemudian dianalisa karakteristik fisikokimia-nya menggunakan instrumen FTIR, XRD, XRF, SEM, dan metode pengukuran luas area BET-distribusi pori BJH. Penelitian ini memberikan hasil bahwa matriks SC pellet basah (berwujud kolom suspensi) memberikan hasil ekstraksi yang dapat diamplifikasi lebih baik di bawah instrumen RT-PCR dibandingkan matriks SC pellet kering (berwujud serbuk halus dan cakram). Seluruh spesimen non aktif RNA virus SARS-CoV-2 yang digunakan dalam uji ekstraksi pada penelitian ini memiliki kisaran nilai ambang Ct < 20.

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One of the strategies to overcome the COVID-19 disease is through diagnostic clinical tests using the Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test. The RT-PCR test is a detection test and quantification test of nucleic acid. This method is initiated by pre-analytical step, known as extraction of nucleic acids. Extraction of nucleic acid requires silica-based materials as an extraction column. Herein, Silica Coarse (SC) in the form of suspension, powder and discs columns; were prepared from natural Indonesian Kaolinite as an alternative phase-extraction column to binding RNA of SARS-CoV-2. The RNA binding ability in SC was enhanced with chaotropic agents in the form of Na+ and Guanidium+ embedded on the kaolinite silicate framework. We were also improved the mechanical properties of SC discs with addition of PEG 1500. SC, embedded with Na+ and Guanidium+ respectively, then its physicochemical characteristics were studied using FTIR, XRD, XRF SEM, and BET surface area and pore measurement. This work shows that SC suspension column could extract RNA of SARS-CoV-2 that amplified better in RT-PCR test than SC dried columns, with the initial CT value of all the SARS-CoV-2 specimens in the range Ct < 20