Basic Principles of the Use of Immunoaffinity Chromatography for Environmental Analysis
Berta Ballesteros, Maria-Pilar Marco
Department of Biological Organic Chemistry. C.I.D.-C.S.I.C., Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034-Barcelona, Spain
Article history:
Received July 15, 1997
Accepted April 7, 1998
Key words:
pollutant, antigen/antibody interaction, intmlinosorbent, enviromental analysis
Summary:
Usual pollutant extraction procedures applied to environmental samples are not selective. Therefore, the analysis of trace-level of contaminants or their degradation products in complex matrices is often difficult because of the different polarities and low concentrations of the analytes. Additionally, very polar analytes are often not quantitatively retained by the most common solid phase extraction procedures. Immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) is a separation method based on the specific and reversible interactions between the antigen and the antibody. Because the retention is directed by a different physico-chemical principle, IAC offers an interesting alternative to implement the existing extraction procedures. In this paper we will present the basic principles of the IAC separations. Based on the available literature, the most important criteria for immunosorbent preparation and the operational features of this kind of solid phase extraction method will be discussed. Slate of the art of the application of IAC for environmental analysis will be presented.
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