SOL-GEL ENTRAPMENT OF MONOCLONAL ANTI-ATRAZINE ANTIBODIES

We report the successful doping of a sol-gel matrix with an antibody, retaining its ability to bind free antigen from an aqueous solution. T he particular system described is monoclonal anti-atrazine mouse antib ody which was entrapped in SiO2 sol-gel matrices, prepared from tetram ethoxysilane by several methods. Atrazine was selected as a model comp ound for this study, within the framework of the development of immuno chemical-based methods for monitoring pesticide residues and other org ano-synthetic environmental contaminants. Nanogram quantities of atraz ine were applied on SiO2 sol-gel columns doped with this antibody, and the amount of eluted antigen was determined by Enzyme Linked ImmunoSo rbent Assay (ELISA). Under appropriate sol-gel-forming conditions, hig h amounts of atrazine were bound to the sol-gels, ranging between 60% and 91% of the amount applied to the column. The combination of the pr operties of the sol-gel matrix (e.g., stability, inertness, high poros ity, high surface area and optical clarity), together with the selecti vity and sensitivity of the antibodies, enable extension of this feasi bility study to development of a novel group of immunosensors which co uld be used for purification, concentration and monitoring of a variet y of residues from different sources.