Use of phosphonic acid as a generic hapten in the production of broad specificity anti-organophosphate pesticide antibody

Phosphonic acid (trans-4-phosphono-2-butenic acid; TPB) was used as a gener ic hapten in order to generate broad specificity antibodies against a group of organophosphorus pesticides. The polyclonal antiserum showed, in an ind irect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format, preferential bindin g toward pesticides containing unsaturated diethyl-phosphate functionalitie s rather than the equivalent thiophosphate or dimethyl structures. The leve l of detection in the ELISA using a heterologous system was investigated an d showed a 20-fold improvement when a conjugate for which the antibody had lower affinity was immobilized on the plate. Biosensor assays using parathi on as a standard indicated that the antibody had a relatively high dissocia tion rate, and reproducible cycles of regeneration were achieved. The poten tial for using TPB as a generic hapten is discussed.