MONOCLONAL AND POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIES TO THE ORGANOPHOSPHATE FENITROTHION .1. APPROACHES TO HAPTEN-PROTEIN CONJUGATION

Three different chemical approaches were used to couple the organophosphorus pesticide fenitrothion to carrier proteins for production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Hapten conjugates coupled through the pesticide phosphate group yielded the most specific and highest affinity antibodies, although antibodies of moderate affinity were obtained by derivatization and coupling through the aromatic nitro group following its reduction and amide formation with an adipic acid spacer arm. Assay formats using either immobilized antibody or immobilized hapten-protein conjugate could be used to determine free fenitrothion. The most sensitive assay could detect 1 ng of fenitrothion.