Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Development And Application Of An Antibody-Based Biosensor For The Detection Of The Petroleum-Derived Compounds, Candace Rae Spier

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Petroleum is one of the most important natural resources, but can also be problematic to environmental and human health. Petroleum is comprised of thousands of compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocycles, some of which are toxic and/or carcinogenic. Traditional analytical methods for environmental monitoring of low-level PAHs are time-consuming labor-intensive, and often laboratory-bound. Efforts to achieve timely, sensitive, and accurate analysis of PAHs in the field have become a priority for environmental research and monitoring. Antibody-based biosensors are presently being developed for environmental analysis. Anti-PAH antibody molecules can be coupled with electronic transducers to provide new biosensor technology …