ENZYMIMMUNOASSAYS ZUR BESTIMMUNG VON PFLANZEN-SCHUTZMITTELN IM WASSER

The specificity of serological reactions and the affinity of antibodies to suitable ligands can be exploited in the area of drinking water analysis. Enzyme immunoassays are of special importance for the detection of pesticides which at present raise severe problems in the analysis of drinking water. In this paper, the general principle is explained, followed by the description of homogeneous and heterogeneous enzyme immunoassays as applications. Then, the critical factors are discussed, which should be known for the construction of an enzyme immunoassay. The affinity of antibodies to a pesticide, the applied concentrations of the antibody and the enzyme tracer determine the detection limit and the sensitivity of the assays. The specificity is assayed by the cross reactivities of analogues. The determination of atrazin is given as an example. The simple performance, the high number of assays per unit of time and the acceptable expenses justify the use of enzyme immunoassays in drinking water analysis.