New immunoassay technique using antibody immobilized on a membrane and a flow cuvette as reaction vessel.

Immunoenzymatic detection systems have been developed using human IgG as a model antigen. A membrane with covalently immobilized specific antibodies was placed into a specially constructed ultranarrow flow cuvette and solutions containing the antigen and antibody-peroxidase conjugate were then successively passed through the flow capillary cell. After washing, the membrane was placed into the substrate solution and the intensity of developed colour on the membrane was recorded visually or by a reflection spectrophotometer. The lower detection limit was about 5 x 10(-11) M and the overall analysis time was 10 min. Photoimmobilization was used to immobilize the antibody and thereby permitting control of the protein surface concentration on the membrane as well as the dimensions and shape of the activated region.