Study of the catalytic effect of PAR on the luminol-potassium ferricyanide reaction using a flow-injection chemiluminescence method.

We discovered that 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) has a strong catalytic effect on luminol-potassium ferricyanide chemiluminescence (CL). Results indicated that the chemiluminescence intensities at maximum light emission were linearly corrected with the concentration of PAR over the range 1.0 x 10(-5)-1.0 x 10(-7) mol/L. A detection limit of 5.7 x 10(-8) mol/L for PAR was achieved. It was found that some metal ions strongly affected this catalytic reaction. Based on this finding, the luminol-potassium ferricyanide-PAR reaction was developed for the determination of metal ions. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for Ni2+, Cr3+, Zn2+, Co2+ and Mn2+ were determined to be 1.0 x 10(-9) mol/L, 5.0 x 10(-9) mol/L, 5.0 x 10(-8) mol/L, 1.0 x 10(-9) mol/L and 1.0 x 10(-8) mol/L, respectively. In addition, the relative standard deviation values for these metal ion assays were in the range 0.82-2.72% (n = 6).     

Determination of bisphenol A using a flow injection inhibitory chemiluminescence method.

A new flow injection chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA), based on the inhibitory effect of BPA on the chemiluminescence reaction between luminol and potassium hexacyanoferrate. Under optimum conditions, the decrease in CL emission intensity was linear with BPA concentration in the range 8.0 x 10(-7)-1.2 x 10(-5) mol/L, and the detection limit was 3.1 x 10(-7) mol/L. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of 11 replicate measurements was 2.6% for 2.0 x 10(-6) mol/L BPA (n = 11). The sampling frequency was calculated to be ca. 120/h. This method has been successfully used to determine the content of BPA in aqueous solution of polycarbonate materials. A brief discussion on the possible chemiluminescence reaction mechanism is presented.     

A sensitive inhibition chemiluminescence method for the determination of trace tannic acid using the reaction of luminol-hydrogen peroxide catalysed by tetrasulphonated manganese phthalocyanine.

A novel CL method for the determination of tannic acid (TA) was established based on TA inhibition of the chemiluminescence (CL) emission of the luminol-hydrogen peroxide CL system catalysed by tetrasulphonated manganese phthalocyanine (MnTSPc) under alkaline conditions. The peak height is proportional to the natural logarithm of concentration of TA in the range 1.0 x 10(-7)-3.0 x 10(-10) mol/L with a detection limit of 5.6 x 10(-11) mol/L and the relative standard deviation was 2.5% for the determination of 1.0 x 10(-8) mol/L TA (n = 11). The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of TA in Chinese gall and industrial wastewater.     

Determination of trimethylamine in fish by capillary electrophoresis with electrogenerated tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) chemiluminescence detection.

A capillary electrophoresis with electrogenerated chemiluminescence (CE-ECL) method for the determination of trimethylamine (TMA) in fish was studied. In the presence of TMA, ECL from the reaction of analyte and in situ generated tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) [Ru(bpy)(3) (3+)] at electrode surface could be produced. The ECL detection was performed using a Pt working electrode biased at 1.23 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) potential in a 10 mmol/L sodium borate buffer solution, pH 9.2, containing 3 mmol/L Ru(bpy)(3) (2+). A linear calibration curve (correlation coefficient = 0.9996) was obtained in the range 8 x 10(-5)-4 x 10(-8) mol/L for TMA concentration. Recoveries obtained were in the range 98.78-101.46%. The method was successfully applied for the assay of TMA in fish, in combination with solid phase extraction (SPE) disks for sample clean-up and enrichment.     

Chemiluminescence determination of fluoroquinolone antibiotics using a soluble manganese (IV)-sulphite system.

The reaction of soluble manganese (IV) with sulphite in acidic condition was found to elicit weak chemiluminescence (CL). The CL signal was remarkably enhanced in the presence of three fluoroquinolones, viz. norfloxacin, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Based on these observations, a new flow-injection CL method was developed for the determination of these fluoroquinolones. The method allows determination in the range 5.0 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-6) mol/L for norfloxacin, 1.0 x 10(-7)-8.0 x 10(-6) mol/L for ofloxacin and 1.0 x 10(-7)-3.0 x 10(-5) mol/L for ciprofloxacin, with detection limits of 3 x 10(-8) mol/L, 5 x 10(-8) mol/L and 3 x 10(-8) mol/L, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of fluoroquinolones in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Determination of iodide using flow injection with acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence detection.

A simple and rapid flow-injection method is described for the determination of iodide, based on potassium permanganate chemiluminescence detection via oxidation of formaldehyde in aqueous hydrochloric acid. The calibration graph was linear over the range 1.0-12 x 10(-6) mol/L (r2 = 0.9955) with relative standard deviations (n = 4) in the range 1.0-3.5%. The detection limit (3sigma) was 1.0 x 10(-7) mol/L, with sample throughput of 120/h. The effect of interfering cations [Ca(II), Mg(II), Ni(II), Fe(II), Fe(III) and Pb(II)] and anions (Cl-, SO4(2-), PO4(3-), NO3-, NO2-, F- and SO3(2-)) were studied. The method was applied to iodized salt samples and the results obtained in the range 0.03 +/- 0.005 - 0.10 +/- 0.006 mg I/g were in reasonable agreement with the amount labelled. The method was statistically compared with the results obtained by titration; no significant disagreement at 95% confidence was observed.     

Determination of tetracycline, chlortetracycline and oxytetracycline by flow injection with inhibitory chemiluminescence detection using copper(II) as a probe ion.

This paper reports an indirect flow-injection (FI) method for the determination of the tetracycline drugs (TCs), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC) and oxytetracycline (OTC), using copper(II) as a probe ion. The method was based on the inhibition caused by these TCs to the copper(II)-catalysed chemiluminescence (CL) reaction between luminol and H(2)O(2). The CL reaction was induced on-line and injection of the sample produced negative peaks as a result of the copper(II) complexation or displacement by the analytes. The height of the peaks was proportional to the drug concentration in the sample. The choice of the catalyst ion, the concentration of luminol, H(2)O(2) and copper(II) are discussed. The linear range was 3.6 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-5), 1.1 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) and 1.9 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) mol/L for TC, CTC and OTC, respectively. The detection limit was 5.0 x 10(-9) mol/L for TC, 1.0 x 10(-8) mol/L for CTC and 2.0 x 10(-8) mol/L for OTC (3sigma), respectively. The method was applied to the determination of TCs in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine with recoveries in the range 95-105%.     

Bioluminescent assay of total bacterial contamination of raw milk]

A rapid (30-35 min) bioluminescence assay of total bacterial contamination (TBC) of raw milk was optimized. This method includes incubation of milk samples in the presence of Neonol-10 and medical purity grade pancreatin with further removal of nonbacterial ATP by filtration through a membrane filter, cell disruption by treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide, and measurement of ATP concentration in a reaction with the bioluminescent reagent Immolum. The TBC detection threshold is 0.5 x 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) per ml milk. Coefficients of correlation between the standard plate count method and bioluminescence assay (R) and residual standard deviations (Sxy) in raw milk samples (n = 140) were 0.83 and 0.54, respectively. In sterilized milk samples artificially contaminated with pure cultures of the main representatives of milk microflora (coli-forms, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Streptococcus group D), these values were 0.89-0.99 and 0.09-0.29, respectively. The specific content of ATP was found to be (0.8 +/- 0.1) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in coli-forms; (12.0 +/- 8.1) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in S. aureus; (35.2 +/- 16.9) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in S. thermophilus; and (42.5 +/- 1.3) x 10(-18) in Streptococcus group D.     

Determination of norfloxacin using a terbium-sensitized electrogenerated chemiluminescence method.

A simple electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) analysis method for the determination of norfloxacin (NFLX) is reported. It is based on ECL produced by Na(2)SO(3), which is sensitized by the Tb-NFLX complex. The relative ECL intensity of the Tb(3+)-NFLX-Na(2)SO(3) system is proportional to the amount of NFLX. The optimized experimental conditions were investigated. The linear range and detection limit for NFLX were 1.0 x 10(-10)-8.0 x 10(-7) mol/L and 2.8 x 10(-11) mol/L, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the determination of NFLX in a capsule. NFLX in urine can be directly detected without pretreatment or separation.     

Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of catecholamines based on their enhancing effects on the luminol-potassium periodate system.

A rapid and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method using flow injection analysis is described for the determination of four catecholamines, dopamine, adrenaline, isoprenaline and noradrenaline, based on their greatly enhancing effects on the CL reaction of luminol-potassium periodate in basic solutions. The optimized chemical conditions for the chemiluminescence reaction were 1.0 x 10(-4) mol/L luminol and 1.0 x 10(-5) mol/L potassium periodate in 0.2 mol/L sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graphs relating the CL signal intensity (peak height) to the concentration of the analytes were curvilinear and they were suitable for determining dopamine, adrenaline, isoprenaline, and noradrenaline in the range 0.1-10 ng/mL, 0.1-100 ng/mL, 1-100 ng/mL and 5-50 ng/mL, respectively, with the relative standard deviations of 0.8-1.7%. The detection limits of the method are 0.02 ng/mL for dopamine, 0.01 ng/mL for adrenaline, 0.1 ng/mL for isoprenaline and 2.0 ng/mL for noradrenaline. The sampling frequency was calculated to be about 60/h. The selectivity of the method was good, because a series of common ions or excipients, such as K(+), Ba(2+), CO(3)(2-), NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-), PO(4)(3-), sodium citrate, sodium bisulphite, oxidate dopamine, starch, lactose, carbamide and gelatin, could not produce interference when their concentrations were 1000-fold than those of dopamine. The present method was successfully applied to the determination of the four catecholamines in pharmaceutical injections.     

Enhanced microbial biomass assay using mutant luciferase resistant to benzalkonium chloride

In a biomass assay based on adenosine 5(')-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence, extracellular ATP is removed; then intracellular ATP is extracted from the microorganism by an ATP extractant and subsequently reacted with luciferase. To provide a highly sensitive assay, the concentration of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) in the ATP extractant was optimized by using a mutant luciferase resistant to BAC. The use of 0.2% BAC, which was acceptable for the luciferase, simultaneously achieved the maximum extraction of intracellular ATP from microorganisms and the inactivation of the ATP-eliminating enzymes for removal of extracellular ATP. The detection limit (blank+3 SD) for ATP was 1.8x10(-14)M (1.8x10(-18)mol/assay) in the presence of the ATP extractant with coefficients of variation of 0.7 to 6.3%. The reagent system coupled with the ATP-eliminating enzymes allowed for the detection of 93 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, 170CFU/ml of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, 170CFU/ml of Proteus mirabilis ATCC 29906, 68CFU/ml of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and 7.7CFU/ml of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051. The yeast cell of Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 10217 could be detected at 1CFU/ml. With 54 kinds of microorganisms, the average ATP extraction efficiency compared to the trichloroacetic acid extraction method was 81.0% in 24 strains among gram-negative bacteria, 99.4% in 13 strains among gram-positive bacteria, and 97.0% in 17 strains among yeast. The ATP contents of the gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and yeasts ranged from 0.40 to 2.70x10(-18)mol/CFU (mean=1.5x10(-18)mol/CFU), from 0.41 to 16.7x10(-18)mol/CFU (mean=5.5x10(-18)mol/CFU), and from 0.714 to 54.6x10(-16)mol/CFU (mean=8.00x10(-16)mol/CFU), respectively.     

Preparation of novel mercury-doped silver nanoparticles film glassy carbon electrode and its application for electrochemical biosensor

A novel mercury-doped silver nanoparticles film glassy carbon (Ag/MFGC) electrode was prepared in this study. Electrochemical behaviors of cysteine on the Ag/MFGC electrode were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The results indicated that cysteine could be strongly adsorbed on the surface of the Ag/MFGC electrode to form a thin layer. The doped electrode could catalyze the electrode reaction process of cysteine, and the cysteine displayed a pair of well-defined and nearly reversible CV peaks at the electrode in an acetate buffer solution (pH 5.0). The Ag/MFGC electrode was used for determination of cysteine by differential pulse voltammetry. The linear range was between 4.0x10(-7) and 1.3x10(-5) mol/L, with a detection limit of 1.0x10(-7) mol/L and a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The relative standard deviation was 2.4% for seven successive determinations of 1.0x10(-5) mol/L cysteine. The determinations of cysteine in synthetic samples and urinal samples were carried out and satisfactory results were obtained. Amperometric application of the Ag/MFGC electrode as biosensors is proposed.     

Chemiluminescence determination of pharmacologically active compounds by capillary electrophoresis.

A simple and rapid capillary electrophoresis with direct chemiluminescence method has been developed for the determination of five natural pharmacologically active compounds including rutin, protocatechuic aldehyde, chlorogenic acid, luteolin and protocatechuic acid. The luminol as a component of the separation electrolyte buffer was introduced at the head of the separation capillary. The separation of five compounds was carried out in a fused-silica capillary with 15.0 mmol/L tetraborate, 1.0 mmol/L SDS and 0.42 mmol/L luminol (pH 8.5). The analytes was determined by enhancing the chemiluminescence of luminol with 0.13 mmol/L K3Fe(CN)6 in 0.05 mol/L NaOH, which was introduced at the post-column stage. The voltage applied was 16 kV. Under the optimum conditions, the analytes were separated within 10 min. The excellent linearity was obtained over two to three orders of magnitude with a detection limit (signal:noise = 3) of 0.012-0.055 micromol/L for all five analytes. The method was successfully used in the analysis of pharmaceutical and biological samples, and the assay results were satisfactory.     

Application of stripping voltammetry and microelectrodes in vitro biocompatibility and in vivo toxicity tests of AISI 316L corrosion products.

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric procedures, using mercury film microelectrodes, were optimised and applied to quantify total iron, chromium and nickel in samples of osteoblast-like cells culture medium and mice organs (liver, kidney and spleen) obtained from, respectively, in vitro and in vivo 316L stainless steel corrosion products biocompatibility and toxicity studies. The methods were based on the pre-concentration of the iron-catechol complex by adsorption at the potential of -1.80 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), of the chromium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid complex at -1.00 V or -1.15 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and of the nickel-dimethylglyoxime complex at -0.70 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The detection limits achieved for each metal ion (i) in the culture medium were 1.93x10(-8) mol/L Fe, 2.80x10(-10) mol/L Cr and 7.70x10(-9) mol/L Ni for a collection time of 30 s, 40 s and 10 s, respectively, and (ii) in the mice organ solutions were 1.37x10(-8) mol/L Fe, 1.54x10(-8) mol/L Cr and 1.58x10(-9) mol/L Ni for an adsorption time of 25 s, 25 s and 15 s, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed procedures was verified by comparison of the results obtained by adsorptive stripping voltammetry with those attained by atomic absorption spectrometry for the same set of samples and good agreement was found. The in vitro study showed that stainless steel corrosion products affect the expression of the osteogenic phenotype. The in vivo mice model, used to investigate the systemic effects provoked by the corrosion products per se, indicated that Fe, Cr and Ni are partially accumulated in the organs studied and that Ni induced the more significant morphological alterations.     

Flow-injection electrogenerated chemiluminescence determination of fluoroquinolones based on its sensitizing effect.

A simple and sensitive flow-injection electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) method for the determination of fluoroquinolones was developed. The method is based on the sensitizing effect of fluoroquinolones on the weak ECL signal of electrochemical oxidation of luminol on the surface of the platinum flake electrode in the medium of 0.1 mol/L Na2CO3-NaHCO3. At the optimum experimental conditions, the relative ECL intensity increased linearly with increasing fluoroquinolones concentration, in the ranges 1.0 x 10(-8)-2.0 x 10(-4) g/mL for norfloxacin, 5.0 x 10(-9)-6.0 x 10(-6) g/mL for oxfloxacin, 2.0 x 10(-8)-1.4 x 10(-5) g/mL for ciprofloxacin, 1.0 x 10(-8)-1.4 x 10(-5) g/mL for pefloxacin, and 1.0 x 10(-9)-1.0 x 10(-5) g/mL for enoxacin, with detection limits of 4.0 x 10(-9) g/mL, 2.0 x 10(-9) g/mL, 1.0 x 10(-8) g/mL, 8.0 x 10(-9) g/mL, and 8.0 x 10(-10) g/mL, respectively. The relative standard deviations were all less than 2.5% for the determination of 2.0 x 10(-6) g/mL fluoroquinolones (n = 11). The method was used to determine these medicines in pharmaceutical samples with satisfactory results.     

Analysis of microperoxidases using liquid chromatography, post-column substrate conversion and fluorescence detection

A liquid chromatographic method with on-line activity determination for microperoxidases has been developed. After enzymatic digestion of a cytochrome, possibly under formation of microperoxidases, the product mixture is separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The products first pass a diode-array detector, and are then subjected to a reaction with 4-(N-methylhydrazino)-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzooxadiazole (MNBDH) and hydrogen peroxide. In a reaction coil, microperoxidases catalyze the reaction under formation of the fluorescent 4-(N-methylamino)-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzooxadiazole (MNBDA). Quantification of the microperoxidases is performed using a fluorescence detector at an excitation wavelength of 470 nm and an emission wavelength of 545 nm, respectively. For this LC-based detection system, limits of detection are 3 x 10(-8) mol/L, limits of quantification are 9 x 10(-8) mol/L, and a linear range from 9 x 10(-8) mol/L to 3 x 10(-6) mol/L is obtained for the microperoxidases MP-9 and MP-11. A highly active microperoxidase MP-6 was found in the reaction of cytochrome c from bovine heart with protease from streptomyces griseus.     

High-sensitive determination of coenzyme Q(10) in iodinate-beta-cyclodextrin medium by inclusion reaction and catalytic polarography

A novel polarographic method for the determination of coenzyme Q(10) in beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and iodinate system is proposed. The stability of coenzyme Q(10) to light was improved by the formation of coenzyme Q(10)-beta-CD inclusion complex. In addition, the sensitivity for the determination of coenzyme Q(10) was enhanced by both the formation and the polarographic catalytic wave of the inclusion complex in the presence of iodinate. In 0.1 mol/L HAc-NaAc (pH 4.7)-5.0 x 10(-5) mol/L beta-CD-1.2 x 10(-3) mol/L potassium iodinate-ethanol/water (60:40, v/v) medium, coenzyme Q(10)-beta-CD inclusion complex yielded a sensitive association/parallel catalytic wave. The second-order derivative peak current of the catalytic wave was proportional to coenzyme Q(10) concentration in the range of 6.0 x 10(-8)-2.5 x 10(-7) mol/L, and the detection limit was 1.0 x 10(-8) mol/L. The proposed method has high analytical sensitivity and is allowed to determine coenzyme Q(10) under light.     

雷公藤单体T10对Aβ1-42所致PC12细胞凋亡的抑制作用

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)是发病率最高的中枢神经系统退变性疾病.目前AD的病因不清,亦无有效的防治手段,其重要的原因是尚无适宜的AD模型.因此,本实验首先建立了PC12细胞系β淀粉样蛋白(p-amyloid,Aβ)细胞损伤模型,在此基础上,探讨了中药免疫抑制剂雷公藤单体T10对细胞的保护作用及其机制.首先用不同浓度的Aβ(5×10、5×10-3、5×10-2、5×10、5、50 μmol/L)与PC12细胞共孵育48 h,用MTT法检测细胞存活率.选取Aβ致使细胞存活率降低的浓度(0.5、5、50 μmol/L)与PC12细胞共孵育48 h,通过流式细胞仪检测凋亡细胞百分比.用1×10-11mol/L的T10预孵育PC12细胞48 h后,加入50μmol/L Ap共孵育48 h,亦用流式细胞仪检测凋亡细胞百分比,激光共聚焦显微镜检测细胞内钙离子浓度变化.结果显示,Aβ的浓度存50μmol/L时可使细胞存活率降低至55.1%,凋亡细胞比例显著增加,而1×10-11mol/L的T10可明显降低50 μmol/L Aβ诱导的PC12细胞死亡.50 μmol/L Aβ可促进PC12细胞胞外钙离子内流,1×10-11mol/L的T10对Ap诱导的胞外钙离子内流有抑制作用.这些观察结果表明T10对Ap导致的PC12细胞损伤具有明显的保护作用,其机制可能与抑制Aβ诱导的胞内钙离子浓度升高和细胞凋亡有关.     

Influence of curcumin, capsaicin, and piperine on the rat liver drug-metabolizing enzyme system in vivo and in vitro

The effect of dietary supplementation of spice-active principles, curcumin (0.2%), capsaicin (0.015%), and piperine (0.02%) on the activities of the liver drug-metabolizing enzyme system was examined. All the 3 dietary spice principles significantly stimulated the activity of aryl hydroxylase. A synergistic action of dietary curcumin and capsaicin with respect to stimulating the activity of aryl hydroxylase was also evidenced when fed in combination. The activity of N-demethylase essentially remained unaffected by dietary curcumin, capsaicin, or their combination, but was significantly lowered as a result of piperine feeding. Uridine dinucleotide phosphate (UDP)-glucuronyl transferase activity was decreased by dietary piperine and the combination of curcumin and capsaicin. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was significantly decreased by dietary piperine. The levels of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b5 were not influenced by any of the dietary spice-active principles. These spice-active principles were also examined for their possible in vitro influence on the components of the hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme system in rat liver microsomal preparation. Piperine significantly decreased the activity of liver microsomal aryl hydroxylase activity when included in the assay medium at 1 x 10(-6) mol/L, 1 x 10(-5) mol/L, and 1x 10(-4) mol/L level. Lowered activity of N-demethylase was observed in presence of capsaicin or piperine at 1 x 10(-6) mol/L in the assay medium. Hepatic microsomal glucuronyl transferase activity was significantly decreased in vitro by addition of capsaicin or piperine. Capsaicin and piperine brought about significant decrease in liver microsomal cytochrome P450 when included at 1 x 10(-6) mol/L and 1 x 10(-5) mol/L, the effect being much higher in the case of piperine. The results suggested that whereas the 3 spice principles have considerable similarity in structure, piperine is exceptional in its influence on the liver drug-metabolizing enzyme system. The study also indicated that a combination of curcumin and capsaicin does not produce any significant additive effect on the liver drug-metabolizing enzyme system.     

Immunoaffinity chromatography of abscisic acid combined with electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Polyclonal antibodies with high specificity for C1-immobilised (+)-cis,trans-abscisic acid (ABA) were raised, characterised by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and used for preparation of an immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) gel. The detection limit of the ELISA was approximately 4.6x10(-10)mol/L. Sensitive electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) methods were also developed with detection limits below 0.1x10(-12)mol. The IAC allowed quick, single-step processing of samples prior to the analyses. The LC-ESI-MS and LC-ELISA techniques were used for comparative estimation of endogenous ABA levels in immunoaffinity purified extracts of normal and water-stressed Nicotiana tabacum L. leaves. The analytical approaches were validated using deuterium- and tritium-labelled internal standards, respectively. The IAC method was found to be highly effective, sensitive and convenient for isolating the target analyte from plant material.