DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY FOR THE DETECTIONOF THE TRIAZOLE FUNGICIDE MYCLOBUTANIL

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for qua ntitative detection of myclobutanil was developed. Polyclonal antibodi es were raised in rabbits against the haptenic compound 2-(4-chlorophe nyl)-2-[(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methyl] hexanoic acid, conjugated to conal bumin through the carboxylic acid moiety. The standard curve based on a homologous system using the above hapten conjugated to bovine serum albumin displayed a detection range from 0.3 to 200 mu g/mL for myclob utanil with an IC50 value of 4.9 +/- 0.5 mu g/mL. The effects of vario us assay conditions, including pH, organic solvent content; sample mat rix effects (surface water, soil and fruit extracts), and protein stab ilizer, on the sensitivity have been evaluated. Cross-reactivities wit h various related fungicides, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, and inter mediates containing triazole, imidazole, or pyrimidine groups were tes ted and found to be below 15%. The detection system appears to be a ve rsatile device for the environmental monitoring of myclobutanil.