A new monoclonal antibody for the sensitive detection of cyanazine and other s-triazines in water by ELISA

A new monoclonal antibody with specificity for s-triazine herbicides was prepared using a tertbutyl-s-triazine hapten. An assay was developed, employing covalently immobilized hapten and monoclonal antibody labeled with horseradish peroxidase. This assay system had a detection limit of 0.01 μgl^-1 cyanazine, with a coefficient of variation less than 3%. Analysis on three different spiked water types showed an average recovery of 101% at 0.1 μgl^-1 cyanazine. Cross-reactions were found for atrazine, terbuthylazine and propazine in the range 18-62%. This immunoassay is therefore capable of detecting four different s-triazine herbicides at concentrations well below the limit value for drinking water of 0.1 μgl^-1 stipulated by the EEC Council Directive on drinking water.