Determination of pesticides by enzyme immunoassay

Immunochemical methods of analysis, which are based on the binding of an antigen (pesticide) molecule to specific antibodies, are finding increasing use for determining pesticides in various samples (water, soil, food products, and biological fluids). Among these, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which combines the unique specificity of immunoassay with the high sensitivity of the detection of an enzymatic marker, is the most widely used method. Moreover, in ELISA, the components of an immunochemical reaction are separated; as a consequence, the effect of interfering components in the sample (a so-called matrix effect) is reduced. In this review, the principles of enzyme immunoassay for pesticides are considered, and the determination of pesticides in environmental samples and food products is exemplified. The main directions of the further development of immunoassay techniques for determining pesticides are also discussed.