SOL-GEL MATRICES DOPED WITH ATRAZINE ANTIBODIES - ATRAZINE BINDING-PROPERTIES

Sol-gel materials with antibody properties are described. These were c onstructed by the entrapment of monoclonal anti-atrazine antibodies (M abs) in SiO2 sol-gel derived matrixes, which successfully recognized a nd bound atrazine, a widely used herbicide. The binding properties for atrazine were evaluated by comparing sol-gel entrapped anti-atrazine hybridoma culture fluids with entrapped purified immunoglobulins (IgGs ). In the study, C-14-labeled and unlabeled atrazine, which are stable to hydrolysis or to other chemical decay processes, were used as anal ytes. Leaching of the antibodies was found to be zero. Stability was t ested under various storage conditions and was found to be 100% for at least 2 months at room temperature, compared with a drop of 40% in so lution. The response time was found not to differ considerably from th at obtained in solution. Other factors tested included reproducibility of binding, dose response, nonspecific physisorption of atrazine to t he ceramic matrix, and elution recoveries of atrazine from the doped s ol-gel columns. An advantage of the sol-gel methodology is the elimina tion of the need to purify the IgGs from the Mab hybridoma culture flu ids.