Immunoanalytical techniques for analyzing pesticides in the environment

Affinity-based immunosensing techniques for pesticide analysis have attracted intense interest and have found many applications in environmental monitoring. This article reflects recent advances in immunochemical techniques for environmental analysis and monitoring of pesticides. We highlight development of bioreceptors (e.g., antibodies) against low-molecular-weight organic pollutants, and the use of different transduction elements for detecting physico-chemical, optical or mass changes produced by biological interactions. We give details of their applications in developing real-time measurement devices and systems. We also describe the fundamentals of transducer technologies used in immunosensor development. We cite examples of the immunochemical analysis of pesticides using immunochromatography-based, rapid screening, optical detection and cantilever-based, micro-mechanical immunosensing, currently being developed in our laboratory. We especially emphasize the use of nanotechnology in developing immunosensors, including their miniaturization. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.