[Matrix effect and control of immunoassay for environmental samples]

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Immunoassays offer sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective analysis of environmental contaminants.
• Direct detection of environmental samples without pre-treatment leads to matrix interference issues.
• Matrix effects significantly impact the accuracy of immunoassay results for environmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze the impact of various environmental sample matrices on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• To develop and propose methods for controlling or eliminating detrimental matrix effects in immunoassays.
• To present an integrated strategy for managing matrix effects in the detection of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR).

Main Methods:

• Systematic analysis of matrix effects on ELISA for Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) detection.
• Development of a specific buffer system as a diluent to mitigate interference.
• Evaluation of a buffer containing PBS, BSA, EDTA, and sodium chloride.

Main Results:

• Identified and analyzed the influence of diverse environmental sample matrices on ELISA performance.
• Proposed a method to effectively control and eliminate matrix-induced interferences.
• Demonstrated that a specific buffer system significantly mitigates matrix effects.

Conclusions:

• An integrated buffer strategy using 0.1 mol/L pH 7.4 PBS with BSA, EDTA, and NaCl effectively controls matrix effects.
• This strategy enhances the reliability of ELISA detection for environmental contaminants like MC-LR.
• The proposed method is applicable to other immunoassays analyzing environmental samples.