Flow-injection immunosensor for triazine herbicides using Eu(III) chelate label fluorescence detection

An immunochemical flow-injection system for the determination of triazine herbicides based on principles of immunoaffinity chromatography was developed. Triazine herbicide derivatives immobilized on oxirane acrylic beads serve as the affinity column. They are saturated with fluorescently labelled monoclonal anti-herbicide antibodies prior to the assay. The label used is the fluorescent Eu(III) chelate W8044-Eu. A fraction of the fluorescent antibodies is replaced when exposed to analyte and this fluorescence is detected in a postcolumn mode by means of a special laser-based fluorimeter. With the reusable affinity column a detection limit of μg l −1 for the herbicide atrazine was obtained.