D1 protein - an effective substitute for immunoglobulins in ELISA for the detection of photosynthesis inhibiting herbicides

A sensitive and inexpensive method of photosynthesis inhibiting herbicide detection, based on modification of the well-known enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described. The herbicide binding protein of chloroplasts (D1 protein) is used in ELISA as a substitute for specific immunoglobulins. Among the advantages of this innovation are simplicity of D1 protein preparation, its high stability, and group specificity for the photosynthesis inhibiting herbicides. Combination of the method proposed with the herbicide preconcentration on solid-phase cartridges allows to achieve the detection limit required by EC directives for drinking water quality. Several sorbents for solid-phase extraction (SPE) can be used for the selective analysis of different types of the photosynthesis inhibiting herbicides. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.