Immunosorbents: natural molecular recognition materials for sample preparation of complex environmental matrices

• Published in: TrAC, Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.) Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 219 - 235
• Main Authors: Pichon, Valérie, Bouzige, Marianne, Miège, Cécile, Hennion, Marie-Claire
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.1999
• Subjects: Immunoaffinity extraction; Organic pollutants; Sample preparation; Solid-phase extraction; Immunoaffinity extraction; Organic pollutants; Sample preparation; Solid-phase extraction
• ISSN: 0165-9936; 1879-3142
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-9936(98)00120-4

Immunosorbents are solid-phase extraction sorbents which are based upon molecular recognition using natural antibodies and allow a high degree of molecular selectivity. Extraction, concentration and isolation of complex aqueous environmental samples are possible in a single step from large volumes of sample. Immunoaffinity extraction can be combined with LC, in both off-line and on-line modes, thus providing a totally automated device. Its application to extracts from solid samples is solvent-free and simpler than any other clean-up procedures. The high degree of purification permits an efficient coupling with GC–MS or LC–MS. Single analytes can be targeted, and the cross-reactivity of the antibodies has been exploited with target groups of structurally related analytes, including metabolites. Several class-selective immunosorbents have been optimised for the trapping of groups of pesticides and priority industrial organic pollutants. Immunosorbents are robust, and validation studies using certified reference materials have demonstrated their reliability. They are in a more advanced stage than artificial molecularly imprinted materials, and are now moving from the laboratory stage to commercialisation.