Commercially available chemicals as immunizing haptens for the development of a polyclonal antibody recognizing carbendazim and other benzimidazole-type fungicides

Carbendazim is a fungicide widely used for controlling fungi affecting fruits, vegetables, field crops etc. Determination of carbendazim in water, soil and various crops is frequently required to assure compliance with national/European regulations. A polyclonal antibody recognizing carbendazim was developed by using commercially available 2-(2-aminoethyl) benzimidazole, 2-benzimidazole propionic acid and 2-mercaptobenzimidazole as immunizing haptens; each of the above derivatives was directly conjugated to the carrier protein keyhole limpet hemocyanin and a mixture of the conjugates was administered to New Zealand white rabbits. Immunochemical functionality of the antisera and the corresponding isolated antibody (whole IgG fraction) was evaluated through titer and displacement curves in an in-house developed ELISA, which employed a 2-mercaptobenzimidazole - functionalized lysine-dendrimer as the immobilized hapten. As shown with ELISA-displacement curves, the above antibody could recognize carbendazim as well as other benzimidazole-type fungicides, i.e. benomyl and thiabendazole, and also intact benzimidazole, while it did not cross-react with the structurally different pesticides carbaryl and imazalil. Considering the rather simple approach which has led to its development and its highly promising immunochemical profile, the new antibody may be exploited in immunoanalytical systems for detecting benzimidazole-type pesticides e.g. in samples of environmental interest. The above antibody is being currently tested as a biorecognition element in the novel FOODSCAN cell biosensor platform for pesticide residue detection based on the Bioelectric Recognition Assay technology.

Development of competitive immunoassays to hydroxyl containing fungicide metabolites

This paper describes the isolation of monoclonal antibodies and the development of competitive immunoassays to pesticide metabolites of the fungicides imazalil, carbendazim and thiabendazole. The metabolite specific hydroxyl residues were used as the reactive group with which to link the metabolite to the carrier proteins Keyhole Limpet Haemocyanin (KLH) and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). In each case immune responses in mice were raised and monoclonal antibodies were produced. Antibodies were developed into competitive ELISAs to the appropriate metabolite. The antibody raised to a metabolite of imazalil was optimised into a competitive ELISA format which had an assay IC50 of 7.5 μg/L and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.1 μg/L. A single antibody isolated against the metabolite of carbendazim had assay IC50s of 3.2 and 2.7 μg/L for the metabolites of carbendazim and thiabendazole respectively with an LOD of 0.38 μg/L for both. These sensitive immunoassays may have application in the monitoring of human exposure to these fungicide residues either by occupational or non-occupational routes.

Development of monoclonal immunoassays for the determination of triazole fungicides in fruit juices

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on monoclonal antibodies for the detection of triazole fungicides have been developed. With this aim, hapten-protein conjugates, containing the common triazole and chlorinated aromatic moieties, were prepared. From mice immunized with these conjugates, several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with the ability to sensitively bind several triazoles with different specificity were obtained. Both analyte- and class-specific ELISAs were developed. The hexaconazole-specific immunoassay can determine this fungicide with a limit of detection of 0.3 mug/L in standard buffer. The so-called triazole-specific immunoassay allowed for the detection of tetraconazole, penconazole, cyproconazole, and myclobutanil, with limits of detection in the 0.1-0.7 mug/L range. These immunoassays were applied to the determination of triazoles in spiked fruit juices. Samples were adequately diluted to minimize the matrix effects. Coefficients of variation were below 30%, and recoveries ranged from 62 to 135%. Therefore, the developed immunoassays can determine triazole fungicides in fruit juices down to the maximum residue limits currently legislated, without any sample treatment other than dilution.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies specific to the strobilurin pesticide pyraclostrobin

Strobilurin fungicides are nowadays among the most important fungicides in the market of active agrochemicals. Pyraclostrobin, which belongs to the last generation of this family of molecules, shows a broader antifungal activity spectrum and higher efficiency and security profiles than previous fungicides. This paper describes the synthesis of functionalized haptens, the production of monoclonal antibodies, and the development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the detection of pyraclostrobin. A conformational analysis of hapten structure was performed, which provided relevant data concerning the length of the spacer arm. A very useful strategy has been followed for the screening of hybridomas, leading to the selection of a panel of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies to pyraclostrobin. Moreover, different immunoassays have been characterized using the conjugate-coated indirect ELISA format, and limits of detection below 0.1 microg/L have been obtained. Also, a simplified one-step procedure has been carried out with two indirect assays. Finally, these results have been compared with the performance of the same antibodies in the antibody-coated direct ELISA format.

Differential detection of N-heterocyclic compounds and their N-methylated derivatives by immunoanalysis

Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) systems are proposed for the indirect monitoring of formaldehyde by the parallel detection of its N-methylated precursors and the corresponding demethylated compounds. As an example for such immunoanalytical differentiation between an N-heterocyclic compound and its N-methylated derivative, the quantitative detection of the systemic triazole fungicide, myclobutanil, is discussed. Antibodies recognizing the non-zwitterionic structure of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-[(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-methyl]-hexanonitril e (myclobutanil) showed only minor binding to corresponding N-alkylated derivatives of myclobutanil. And vice versa, literature data indicate that antibodies raised against the pyridilium ionic structure of the herbicide paraquat, displayed only mediocre reactivity towards the corresponding dealkylated derivatives. Thus, both experimental and literature data suggest that immunoanalytical methods for differential detection of N-methylated heterocycles (potentially including formaldehyde precursors) and their non-methylated counterparts are possible to develop.

Immunomodulatory effects of occupational exposure to mancozeb

The effects of occupational exposure to ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate of manganese and zinc on the immune system were evaluated in a group of mancozeb-exposed manufacturers and controls. The immune system tests revealed the following: (a) lymphocyte proliferative responses triggered by different activators and mitogen-induced IL-2 production were higher in exposed subjects than in controls; (b) production of monocyte/macrophage-derived IL-1 and polyclonal IgG and IgM, by beta-lymphocytes, did not differ between exposed subjects and controls; (c) percentages and absolute numbers of total T-cells, T-helper cells, T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, activated T-cells, total beta-cells, and natural killer cells were similar in exposed subjects and controls; (d) serum immunoglobulin classes and complement fractions were within the range of normality; and (e) rheumatoid factor and non-organ-specific serum autoantibodies were absent in exposed and control subjects. An increase in T-cell functional response was found in the exposed group, suggesting a slight immunomodulator effect of mancozeb in conditions of low-level, prolonged occupational exposure.

A test series for pesticide dermatitis

A pesticide patch test series was tested in 200 subjects, 50 of whom were agricultural workers. Positive reactions to fungicides were found in 24, almost all to thiophthalimides, especially captan, difolatan and folpet. Reactions to bis-dithiocarbamates and benomyl were rare, and to other pesticides not significant.