Immunosensors for pesticide determination in natural waters

The development and application of immunosensors for environmental monitori ng has grown steadily in recent years. In this review, immunosensors develo ped in the last few years are highlighted regarding their importance and pr actical contribution to environmental analysis with particular emphasis on monitoring of pesticide levels. Different transduction elements and mechani sms used for the detection of the physicochemical change(s) produced by the biological interaction are shown, as well as their application to the deve lopment of real-time measurement devices or systems. In addition, examples concerning the analysis of pesticides in natural water samples obtained usi ng a recently developed optical immunosensor are given. Validation of immun osensor measurements with conventional chromatographic techniques is also r eported. The immunosensor system detection mechanism is based on a solid-ph ase fluoroimmunoassay combined with an optical transducer chip chemically m odified with an analyte derivative. Applications to the analysis of atrazin e, simazine, paraquat, alachlor, 2,4-D and isoproturon in water are also re viewed. (C)2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.