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Analysis of aqueous 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) using a fluorescent displacement immunoassay

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry volume 375, pages 471–475 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

We report a rapid, simple, and sensitive assay that is potentially amenable to high throughput screening for analysis of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) present in aqueous solutions. The assay is based on the change in fluorescence emission intensity of a fluorescently labeled TNT analogue pre-bound to an anti-TNT antibody that occurs upon its competitive displacement by TNT. The assay can be performed in both cuvette- and 96-well plate-based formats. TNT at a level of 0.5 μg L–1 (0.5 ppb) was detected in phosphate buffered saline; detection improved to 0.05 μg L–1 (0.05 ppb) for TNT dissolved in artificial seawater.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded in part by the Office of Naval Research. The views, opinions, and/or findings described in this report are those of the authors and should not be construed as official Department of the Navy positions, policies or decisions.

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Author notes

  1. Phan T. Winter

    Present address: Booz Allen Hamilton, 4001 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 750, Arlington, VA 22203, USA

Affiliations

  1. US Naval Research Laboratory, Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Washington, DC 20375, USA

    Ellen R. Goldman, George P. Anderson, Nikolai Lebedev, Phan T. Winter, Charles H. Patterson Jr & J. Matthew Mauro

  2. George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA

    Brian M. Lingerfelt

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  1. Ellen R. Goldman
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  2. George P. Anderson
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  3. Nikolai Lebedev
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  7. J. Matthew Mauro
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Correspondence to Ellen R. Goldman.

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Goldman, E.R., Anderson, G.P., Lebedev, N. et al. Analysis of aqueous 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) using a fluorescent displacement immunoassay. Anal Bioanal Chem 375, 471–475 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-002-1713-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-002-1713-0

Keywords

  • Environmental monitoring
  • Seawater
  • Explosives
  • Fluorescent displacement immunoassay
  • 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT)