Grantee Research Project Results
Signal Amplification of Nonextractive Immunoassay
EPA Contract Number: 68D70060Title: Signal Amplification of Nonextractive Immunoassay
Investigators: Thomas, Rhys N.
Small Business: Fayette Environmental Services Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 1997 through September 1, 1999
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (1997) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , SBIR - Monitoring , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Nonextractive immunoassay for analysis of soils and sediments for compounds of environmental interest have been shown to be sensitive and precise for most applications. Of particular value is the fact that nonextractive immunoassay uses no toxic solvents and generates no wastes. Being a noncompetitive enzyme-linked immunoassay, the detection limit is governed by the ability to differentiate small quantities of signal from the background. An increase in signal strength of several orders of magnitude may be gained by covalently binding novel, signal-amplifying functionalities to the antibodies. This project will develop signal amplified nonextractive immunoassay for inexpensive field assay of contaminated soils and sediments with detection limits in the low part per trillion range.At the conclusion of Phase I, signal amplified nonextractive immunoassay was shown to be able to detect 83 femtomoles of a representative contaminant (dinitrophenylsulfonate) in a surrogate sediment. Based on this proof of concept, Phase II will result in the production of prototype field test kits for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs), pentachlorophenol, and atrizine at low part per trillion levels in soil and water at costs competitive with the currently available, but insufficiently sensitive, field test kits.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, immunoassay, pollution prevention, monitoring, engineering, chemistry., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry, Monitoring/Modeling, Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Engineering, sediment treatment, sediment bioassay, biosensing, nonextractive immunoassay, monitoring, field portable monitoring, assays, contaminated sediment, pesticides, hazardous waste, remediation, biosensing system, pesticide residue, signal amplification, biosensors, biosensorProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Signal Amplification of Nonextractive ImmunoassayThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.