ENZYME IMMUNOASSAYS FOR PESTICIDE ANALYSIS

Enzyme immunoassays profit from the unique properties of antibodies concerning their selectivity and affinity towards ligands, e.g. pesticides. The most commonly applied types belong to the class of competitive immunoassays with phase separation such as the ELISA. The principle is explained and illustrated using an atrazine assay as a representative example. Common error sources, especially cross-reactivities and matrix effects, are discussed. Interlaboratory tests demonstrate the presently available quality of enzyme immunoassays. An outlook is given on future developments.