A competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay for lead ion measurement using mAbs against the lead-DTPA complex

Immunoassays for quantitative measurement of environmental heavy metals offer several advantages over other traditional methods. To develop an immunoassay for lead, Balb/c mice were immunized with a lead-chelate-protein conjugate to allow maximum exposure of the metal to the immune system. Three stable hybridoma cell lines were obtained through spleen cells fusion with Sp2/0 cells. One cell line, 2A11D11, produced mAbs with preferential selectivity and sensitivity for Pb-DTPA than DTPA, exhibiting an affinity constant of 3.34 ± 0.24 × 109 M−1. Cross reactivity (CR) with other metals were below 1%, except for Fe(III) with a CR less than 5%. This quantitative indirect ELISA for the lead ion was used to detect environmental lead content in local water sources; importantly, the results from the immunoassay were in excellent agreement with those from ICP-MS. Development of immunoassays for metal ions may thus facilitate the detection and regulation of environmental pollution.