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River analyser: an analytical system for measuring multiple analytes in river water

Objective



To achieve the objectives given above, the system envisaged requires a number of well integrated building
blocks and methodologies:
-Analyte specific elements will be antibodies raised against the analytes of choice. Polyclonal antibodies
will be prepared according to established protocols. Specificity will be matched to the environmental
problem addressed by appropriate immunisation protocols and/or blending of antibodies. The
performance of immunochemistry will be assessed in a conventional ELISA testbed.
-For the detection of analytes a competitive test scheme will be implemented. ELISA results will serve
as a reference. Competition will occur between the free analyte and compounds of the biochemical
immobilisation system conjugated with analyte derivatives. The detection will occur in a heterogeneous
format, i.e. at the transducer surface.
-Spatially resolved surface modification strategies (covalent and non-covalent) will be developed for the
stable and reproducible patterned modification of the transducer surface to establish spatially resolved
multi-reaction areas corresponding to the number of analytes. (Optical) surface analytical techniques
and functional testing will be used to characterise surface
chemistry.
-An auxiliary immobilising system consisting of highly specific auxiliary bioaffinity compounds
(antibodies or bioaffinity ligands) will serve to target the detection compounds to selected areas of the
transducer surface. This novel idea is owned by GEC Marconi Ltd and is currently subject to patent
applications (Ref. N 9216450.8/9216683.4/9219743.4/9315995.2 in GB, 93917967.7 in Europe and
08-318,825 in the USA).
-The transducer system will be based on fluorescence detection. A micro-optical/integrated optical
transducer element will be used to allow effective excitation and spatially resolved detection of
fluorophores bound to the surface. Mathematical modelling and systematic analysis of experimental
results will be used to optimise the device.
-The system setup will start with well defined interfaces (soft- and hardware) between compounds.
Commercially available building blocks or units from commercially sold systems will be used where
available. A system analysis will precede the implementation of an advanced demonstrator.
-Validation will be carried out by two partners with a high degree of experience in analyzing complex
environmental samples. The RIANA system will be tested in comparison with established reference
techniques and procedures (instrumental analysis). Reference materials that were developed under the
Measurement and Testing programme of the EU will be used. Where standardised methods do not exist
neither at the national level nor at the European level US-EPA protocols will be adapted.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF TUEBINGEN
EU contribution
No data
Address
Auf der Morgenstelle 8
72076 TUEBINGEN
Germany

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Total cost
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Participants (5)