Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection of microcystins using new monoclonal antibodies

New monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the microcystin-leucine-arginine variant (microcystin-LR), a cyclic peptide toxin of the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa, were prepared from cloned hybridoma cell lines. Using these mAbs, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) experiment was made for the detection of cyanobacterial hepatotoxins, microcystins in water sampled in Soyang Lake, Korea. The performance of the ELISA test with mAbs established in this study was evaluated. The ELISA detection was compared with HPLC detection. Since the detection limit of HPLC is several orders of magnitude higher than with ELISA, attention was also paid to concentration of samples with solid phase extraction cartridges.