ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY FOR SCREENING OF SULFONAMIDES

SULFA DRUGS AS A GROUP OF ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS ARE USED EXTENSIVELY AS MEDICINE AND GROWTH PROMOTANTS IN THE SWINE INDUSTRY, AND THUS POSE A GREAT DANGER TO THE CONSUMERS AS MEAT RESIDUE. THE LACK OF AN UNIQUE ANALYTICAL METHOD, WHICH IS BOTH SENSITIVE AND EASY TO USE, MAKES THEIR ASSAY DIFFICULT AND PROHIBITIVELY COSTLY. IN THIS RESEARCH PROJECT, WE PLAN TO ELIMINATE THIS OBSTACLE BY DEVELOPING A SINGLE ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY FOR ALL THE SULFA DRUGS. OUR FINAL GOAL IS TO PRODUCE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ASSAY KITS, WHICH CAN BE USED IN THE FIELD BY THE FARMERS. THE OVERALL OPERATION WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN TWO PHASES. IN PHASE I, THE KEY INGREDIENTS LIKE THE ANTIGEN, ANTIBODY AND THE ENZYME CONJUGATES WILL BE PREPARED AND IN PHASE II, THESE COMPONENTS WILL BE ASSEMBLED, THE ASSAY PROTOCOL OPTIMIZED, AND THEN FEDERAL APPROVAL WILL BE SOUGHT FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF THE ASSAY.