Abstract: Imazethapyr is the herbicide developed for use in leguminous crops. In this study, flow-injection liposome immunoanalysis (FILIA) has been shown to be capable of measuring imazethapyr in a buffered solution with a detection limit of 0.1 ppb through the optimization process. Protein A coated glass beads covalently conjugated with antibody were contained in a glass column, and this column was used as an immunoreactor. Liposomes which encapsulated a fluorescent dye, sulforhodamine B (SRB) or carboxyfluorescein (CF), generated the analytical signal. By loading larger volumes of sample onto the column, it was shown that the detection limit could be lowered. Liposomes containing carboxyfluorescein gave more sensitive response and a lower detection limit than those with sulforhodamine B. Also, improved response was obtained by using a smaller flow cell in the fluorescence detector due to the reduced dilution effect.

Abstract: A sensitive immunoanalysis system was developed for the quantitation of imazethapyr, the active ingredient in PURSUIT herbicide. Imazethapyr [5-ethyl-2-(4-isopropyl-4-methyl-5-oxo-2-imidazolin-2-yl)nicotinic acid] is one of the imidazolinone class of herbicides. The assay was based on sequential competitive binding of imazethapyr and liposomes for a limited number of antibody binding sites. A capillary tube (20 cm x 0.53 mm i.d.) with immobilized antibody was used as the immunoreactor column. Liposomes that entrap fluorescent molecules as the detectable label provide instantaneous, rather than time-dependent, enhancement, common with enzyme immunoassays. In this study, liposomes encapsulated carboxyfluorescein dye and were made antigenic by incorporating in the bilayer a phospholipid that had the analyte conjugated to its polar head group. The calibration curve for imazethapyr in Tris-buffered saline solution had a working range of 0.1-100 ng/mL. In the range between 1 and 100 ng/mL, recoveries from fortified tap and pond water samples ranged from 93 to 114%. Filtration was the only step needed for sample cleanup, and an assay could be performed in <10 min.

Abstract: A flow-injection liposome immunoanalysis (FILIA) system was developed for the measurement of imazethapyr herbicide. The liposome is a spherical vesicle encapsulating many marker molecules in an aqueous interior. By incorporating analyte-phospholipid conjugates into the bilayer, the liposome can competitively bind to anti-analyte antibody, immobilized in the immunoreactor column of the FILIA system. In this study, the analyte-tagged liposome containing a fluorescent dye, carboxyfluorescein, was compared to a single fluorophor-tagged analyte used for the generation of the analytical signal. The liposome enhanced sensitivity by 1000-fold compared to the single fluorescent molecule-tagged analyte. This is the first report to demonstrate directly the amplification of the response by liposomes in a flow-injection immunoassay.