PRODUCTION OF POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIES FOR THE DETECTION OF DEHYDROABIETIC ACID IN PULP-MILL EFFLUENTS

An enzyme immunoassay for resin acids was developed using polyclonal a ntibodies raised in rabbits. Dehydroabietic acid (DHA) was chosen as a representative resin acid due to its common occurrence and relatively high concentration and toxicity in pulp effluents. Dehydroabietylamin e was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and bovine serum a lbumin (BSA), respectively. The former was used as the immunogen and t he latter as the coating antigen. By indirect ELISA, using the biotin- streptavidin system, antiserum can be diluted to 1:30,000 when the coa ting antigen was used at a concentration of 25 ng/100 mu l/well. The 5 0% inhibition concentration (IC50) and the detection limit were determ ined as 20.2 ppb and 1.9 ppb, respectively.