Comparative analysis of toxin detection in biological and enviromental samples

摘要

The basic recognition schemes underlying the principles of standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) protocols are increasingly being adapted for use with new detection devices. A direct comparison was made using a fiber optic biosensor that employs evanescent wave detection and an ELISA using avidin-biotin. The assays were developed for the detection of Ricinus communis agglutinin II, also known as ricin or RCA$-60$/. Detection limits between the two methods were comparable for ricin in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), however results in complex samples differed slightly. In PBS, sensitivity for ricin was 1 ng/ml using the fiber optic device and 500 pg/ml using the ELISA. The fiber optic sensor could not detect ricin directly in urine or serum spiked with 5 ng/ml ricin, however, the ELISA showed detection but at reduced levels to the PBS control.