Fluorescent microarray for multiplexed quantification of environmental contaminants in seawater samples

Authors: SANCHIS, ANA - Spanish National Research Council; SALVADOR, J - Spanish National Research Council; CAMPBELL, KATRINA - Queen'S University - Ireland; ELLIOTT, CHRISTOPHER - Queen'S University - Ireland; Shelver, Weilin; LI, QING - University Of Hawaii; MARCO, M - Spanish National Research Council

Submitted to: Talanta
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2018
Publication Date: 7/1/2018
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6052265
Citation: Sanchis, A., Salvador, J.P., Campbell, K., Elliott, C.T., Shelver, W.L., Li, Q.X., Marco, M.P. 2018. Fluorescent microarray for multiplexed quantification of environmental contaminants in seawater samples. Talanta. 184:499-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.03.036.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2018.03.036

Interpretive Summary: The chemical pollution of marine waters may have negative effects on native organisms and adverse consequences on human consumers of plant and animal sea foods. The purpose of this study was to develop an assay capable of simultaneously measuring numerous classes of micro-pollutants that affect seawaters. To this end an antibody-based assay was developed that was capable of measuring algaecides, antibiotics, hormones, flame retardants, and neurotoxins in an accurate and rapid manner. Further, a high throughput for the assay was demonstrated by accurately analyzing over 50 marine water samples in a rapid manner. High throughput of an assay allows the quick screening of large numbers of samples, thus increasing the probability of detecting problematic levels of contamination.

Technical Abstract: The development of a fluorescent multiplexed microarray platform able to detect and quantify a wide variety of pollutants in seawater is reported. The microarray platform has been manufactured by spotting 6 different bioconjugate competitors and it uses a cocktail of 6 monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against important families of chemical pollutants such as triazine biocides (i.e. Irgarol 1051®), sulfonamide and chloramphenicol antibiotics, polybrominated diphenyl ether flame-retardants (PBDE, i.e. BDE-47), hormones (17ß-estradiol), and algae toxins (domoic acid). These contaminants were selected as model analytes, however, the platform developed has the potential to detect a wide variety of compounds based on the cross-reactivity of the immunoreagents used. The microarray chip is able to simultaneously determine these families of contaminants directly in seawaters samples reaching limits of detection close to the levels found in contaminated areas (Irgarol 1051®, 0.19 ± 0,06 µg L-1; sulfapyridine, 0.17 ± 0.07 µg L-127 ; chloramphenicol, 0.11 ± 0.03 µg L-1; BDE-47, 2.71 ± 1.13 µg L-1; 17ß-estradiol, 0.94 ± 0.30 µg L-1 28 and domoic acid, 1.71 ± 0.30 µg L-129 ). Performance of the multiplexed microarray chip was assessed by measuring 38 blind spiked seawater samples containing either one of these contaminants or mixtures of them. The accuracy found was very good and the coefficient of variation was below 20% in all the cases. No sample pre-treatment was necessary, and the results could be obtained in just 1:30 h. The microarray shows high sample throughput capabilities, being able to measure simultaneously more than 68 samples and screen them for a significant number of chemical contaminants of interest in environmental screening programs.