Detection of the organophosphorus nerve agent sarin by a competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay.

Two artificial antigens, NalphaNepsilon-di(O,O-diisopropyl) phosphoryl L-lysine (DIP)- bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugate (DIP-BSA) and DIP-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin), were synthesized. Antibodies against sarin (O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) were obtained after immunization of rabbits with DIP-KLH conjugate. A competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay (CIEIA) was developed to detect the organophosphorus nerve agent sarin. The antibody solutions could be inhibited by sarin as low as 10(-6) mol/l, and the standard curve was linear over 3 orders of magnitude. The coefficients of intraassay and interassay variation of this method were 5.4-6.2% (n = 11) and 8.0-9.5% (n = 6) at a sarin concentration range of 10(-3)-10(-6) mol/l, respectively. The recovery of sarin in water samples at the concentration of 5 x 10(-5) mol/l was in the range of 96.8-102.5%. The specificity of the antiserum was assessed by comparing the inhibition induced by sarin with soman, Vx, isopropyl alcohol and isopropyl methyl phosphonic acid. The results showed that less than 5 mmol/l soman, 2 mmol/l Vx, 16 mmol/l isopropyl alcohol and 8 mmol/l isopropyl methyl phosphonic acid did not influence the determination of sarin in water samples.