Preparation of conjugated antigens based on zearalenone carboxymethyloxime and their use in enzyme immunoassay

Zearalenone-6'-carboxymethyloxime was synthesized, and its conjugates to albumins and gelatin were prepared. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies against the conjugate with bovine serum albumin were shown to be highly specific to zearalenone and to have a lower cross-reactivity toward its structural analogues (alpha-zearalenol, 28%; beta-zearalenol, 6%; zearalanone, 12%; and alpha-zearalanol, 5%). The sensitivity of enzyme immunoassay with immobilized gelatin-based conjugates for determination of zearalenone in solution was 1 ng/ml, and this allowed us to determine this substance in feed at a threshold concentration of 200 mu g/kg.