archives@tulane.edu / Groundwater contamination due to the presence of uranium is a subject of concern since chronic exposure to uranium can lead to health problems such as renal failure and cancer. Current standard methods for detection and quantification of uranium in groundwater require expensive instrumentation, laborious sample preparation processes and highly skilled labor to perform. Simple, portable immunosensors can reduce analysis times and costs. Immunosensors take advantage the ability of antibodies to recognize specific molecules. The antibody-antigen binding event can then be read using a quantifiable signal such as color. The success of immunosensors largely depends on the quality of the antibody.
In this report, a single chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) was generated from the monoclonal antibody, 12F6 to be used for further studies and re-engineering. The 12F6 antibody binds hexavalent uranium complexed to the chelator, 2,9-dicarboxyl-1,10-phenanthroline (DCP). This scFv was re-engineered in attempt to improve stability as well as adjust it for possible application in a lateral flow device.
The full length 12F6 was used to develop a paper-based lateral flow immunoassay device for the detection of uranium in groundwater. Gold nanoparticles were conjugated to the 12F6 antibody to be used as a label. Gold nanoparticles were chosen as a label for this immunoassay due to their biocompatibility and intense plasmonic effect. These immunosensors can be used for rapid testing of groundwater at sites of contamination. This assay could quantify uranium at concentrations below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water, 30ppb, or 126nM, as stipulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). / 1 / Grace A. Jairo
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_87910 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Contributors | Jairo, Grace (author), Blake, Diane (Thesis advisor), School of Medicine Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (Degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | electronic, pages: 178 |
| Rights | No embargo |
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