DEVELOPMENT OF POLARIZATION FLUOROIMMUNOASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF S-TRIAZINE HERBICIDES

A rapid, non-isotopic polarization fluoroimmunoassay (PFIA) for the mo nitoring of the simazine (striazine herbicide) level in water was deve loped, Polyclonal antiserum was raised in rabbits by immunization with simazine - Keyhole Limpet Haemocyanin conjugate. Sensitivity of the P FIA with the use of heterologous tracer with the shortest bridge betwe en antigen and fluorescein proved to be the highest. All analytical cr iteria for PFIA were satisfied. The detection limit of simazine (3 ng/ ml in 50 mu l of sample) was comparable to that for liquid or gas chro matography method. The detection limit of ELISA using the same antiser um and conjugate derivative of atrazine with horseradish peroxidase wa s 0.1 ng/mL of simazine. The cross-reactivity for PFIA with widely use d s-triazine herbicides: atrazine, propazine, terbuthylazine was 100%, 32% and 20%, respectively. The cross-reactivity for PFIA with some me tabolites of s-triazines and other herbicides was negligible.