Binding of Triazine Herbicides to Antibodies in Anhydrous Organic Solvents

The binding of atrazine and an atrazine derivative dissolved in various nonpolar organic solvents to immobilized polyclonal antibodies raised against the herbicide was studied. The antibodies immobilized onto immunodyne membranes were stable in chloroform and in buffer for at least 65 hours at room temperature. The apparent binding affinity was lower in the five solvents tested than in buffer, and showed correlation with the polarities of the solvents and with the solubilities of the haptens in the solvents. An increase in the antibody-hapten binding specificity by the use of toluene as the solvent for atrazine, propazine and simazine was observed.