ELECTRODE PROBES FOR THE RAPID ASSAY OF SEAFOOD TOXICANTS

ELECTRODE PROBES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE RAPID ASSAY OF SEAFOOD TOXINS (E.G., PARALYTIC SHELLFISH POISON AND CIGUATOXIN) IN COMPLEX SAMPLES SUCH AS FIN AND SHELLFISH. THE ENZYME IMMUNOCHEMICAL TESTS WILL BE EXTREMELY SPECIFIC, CONSIDERABLY REDUCING SAMPLE CLEAN-UP REQUIREMENTS. IMMOBILIZATION OF ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES WILL BE INVESTIGATED TO PROVIDE THE DESIRED SELECTIVITY. ENZYME AMPLIFICATION WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY. THE STABLE BASE ELECTRODE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED USING INEXPENSIVE ELECTRONICS. THE SENSITIVITY, ACCURACY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF EACH TYPE OF ASSAY FORMAT WILL BE COMPARED. DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE OPTIMIZATION OF THE ELECTRODE SYSTEM AND STUDY OF THE KINETICS OF THE SYSTEM TO GIVE SENSITIVE, RAPID ASSAYS IN ONLY A FEW MINUTES. THE INEXPENSIVE ELECTRODE PROBES SHOULD BE RAPID (<10 MINUTES), SPECIFIC, SENSITIVE (PPB LEVELS), AND CAPABLE OF BEING USED BY PERSONNEL WITH LITTLE TRAINING. IN ADDITION, THE PROBE WILL BE DESIGNED FOR INCORPORATION INTO AUTOMATED SYSTEMS. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL DEMONSTRATE THE POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING SPECIFIC, SENSITIVE IMMUNO PROBES FOR THE DETERMINATION OTHER CLASSES OF COMPOUNDS SUCH AS VERTEBRATE TOXINS, ANTIBIOTICS, STEROIDS, AND PESTICIDES.