Determination of bisphenol A by ELISA using an organic solvent-resistant anti-bisphenol A monoclonal antibody

Bisphenol A(BPA), which is used as a starting material of epoxy resins and polycarbonates, is suspected as being one of the endocrine-disrupting chemi cals. Generally, BPA analysis requires an expensive instrument, such as GC/ MS, and time-consuming processes, such as extraction, concentration, and de rivatization. We have developed a rapid, simple, and highly sensitive analy tical method of BPA by enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay(ELISA) using an org anic solvent-resistant anti-BPA monoclonal antibody in order to solve such problems. In order to produce anti-BPA monoclonal antibodies, Hybridoma cel ls were produced by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells from mice immunized with BPA-bovine serum albumin conjugates (PA-BSA). Some ant i-BPA monoclonal antibodies were found to have resistance to methanol. They selectively react with BPA, but do not show a cross-reaction with structur ally related compounds. The detection limit of BPA by ELISA using the organ ic solvent resistant antibody was 0.5 ppb or less, and the detection limit in 50% methanol was 1 ppb. The measurement of BPA is possible even in other organic solvents, such as ethanol, acetone,DMSO and acetonitrile, if the o rganic-solvent concentration in the sample is 30% or less. This ELISA syste m provides an analytical method which does not affect environment for detec ting die BPA concentration in river water and blood specimens. In this pape r, various analysis examples using the ELISA method are introduced.