Sequential injection immunoassay for environmental measurements

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Environmental monitoring requires sensitive and automated detection methods.
• Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) pose risks to aquatic ecosystems.
• Vitellogenin (Vg) is a key biomarker for EDC exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop automated sequential injection immunoassay (SIA) systems for environmental analysis.
• To detect vitellogenin (Vg) and common surfactants (LAS, APEO) in environmental samples.
• To explore various detection methods including spectrophotometry, chemiluminescence, electrochemical detection, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).

Main Methods:

• Sequential injection analysis (SIA) technique automated with computer-controlled systems.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principles adapted for flow systems.
• Development of SIA systems for spectrophotometric, chemiluminescence, electrochemical, and SPR-based detection.

Main Results:

• Successfully constructed SIA systems for Vg, LAS, and APEO detection.
• Demonstrated automation of washing and reagent addition steps in immunoassays.
• Achieved detection of target analytes using multiple sensing techniques.

Conclusions:

• SIA offers an efficient and automatable platform for environmental immunoassays.
• Developed systems provide versatile tools for monitoring EDCs and surfactants.
• These automated immunoassay systems are promising for environmental risk assessment.