Competitive enzyme immunoassay for detecting low molecular weight toxic compounds: developmental studies, October 1, 1977--September 30, 1978. [2-aminobenzimidazol; sulfamethazine; gentamicin; flatoxin

Abstract

Investigations were initiated on development and automation of competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect low molecular weight toxic compounds. Emphasis was on four compounds: 2-aminobenzimidazole (a pesticide), sulfamethazine and gentamicin (antimicrobial drugs), and aflatoxin (a carcinogen). Reagent preparation and assay development were the major concern for 2-aminobenzimidazole, sulfamethazine, and aflatoxin. Adaptation of a previously reported competitive EIA for gentamicin to an automated EIA system was the other major area of effort. Reagent development for chloramphenicol (antimicrobial drugs) and fluorene (a carcinogen) are in progress. Production of competitive EIA reagents for detection of 2-aminobenzimidazole, sulfamethazine, and aflatoxin were unsuccessful. The competitive EIA for gentamicin was successfully adapted to the automated EIA system. Results obtained when quantitating gentamicin in human sera utilizing the automated system compared favorably with radioimmunoassay. The sensitivity of the gentamicin assay was at the level of 4 ng/ml of serum and the automated system was able to perform 240 assays per hour. This investigation demonstrated that the competitive EIA could detect low molecular weight compounds and that such an assay could be adapted to the automated EIA system. Competitive EIA was also shown to be a viable method to screen samples for the presence of low molecular weightmore » toxic compounds. Such a screening test could have application in many fields including; (1) evaluating food for contamination by toxic compounds, (2) environmental monitoring for pesticides and carcinogens, and (3) worker monitoring for carcinogen exposure.« less