DETECTION OF HEAVY METALS IN WATER

TOXIC HEAVY METALS, SUCH AS LEAD AND CADMIUM, ARE PREVALENT IN THE ENVIRONMENT DUE TO THEIR HIGH INDUSTRIAL USE. THESE TOXIC METALS ARE CUMULATIVE POISONS AND ARE TOXIC EVEN AT LOW DOSES, CAUSING EITHER CHRONIC OR ACUTE TOXICITY WITH PRIMARILY HEPATOTOXIC, NEPHROTOXIC OR NEUROTOXIC EFFECTS. THERE ARE NO USEFUL RAPID SCREENING TESTS TO DETECT CADMIUM IN WATER OR ON SURFACES. THE TESTS AVAILABLE FOR DETECTION OF LEAD IN WATER UTILIZE HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS (E.G. CYANIDE) AND ARE NOT READILY ADAPTED FOR USE IN THE FIELD, IN THE HOME OR IN THE WORK PLACE. THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A NEW IMMUNOASSAY BASED PROPRIETARY SYSTEM FOR THE RAPID DETECTION OF HEAVY METALS. THE POLYCLONAL ANTISERA WILL BE ABSORBED TO ELIMINATE UNWANTED CROSSREACTIVE ANTIBODIES. THE MOUSE STRAIN THAT PRODUCES THE ANTISERA WITH THE BEST ROCOGNITION FOR THE UNIQUE METAL- BINDING MATERIALS WILL BE SELECTED FOR FUTURE USE IN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY (MAB) PRODUCTION (IN PHASE II). SINCE SENSITIVITIES IN THE RANGE OF PARTS PER BILLION CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH AN ANTIBODY-BASED TEST SYSTEM, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT AN APPROPRIATE MAB(S) CAN BE SELECTED AND INCORPORATED INTO A RAPID, SENSITIVE ASSAY SYSTEM THAT DETECTS LEAD OR CADMIUM IN WATER AND/OR FOOD SAMPLES.