This is an award to provide support for exploratory research on a highly specific immunoassay assay procedure using a monoclonal antibody bioassay procedure for detecting the presence of nitrifying bacteria in water, wastewater and soil. The research extending developing a collection of monclonal antibodies from Nitrosomonas europaea, labeling these antibodies with a commercial secondary antibody, and quantifying the selectivity of the nitrifier antibodies against all known fresh-water nitrifying bacterial genera and a select group of common environmental heterotrophs. Nitrification is currently an important objective in treatment of wastewaters and is likely to become mandatory by the turn of the century. This project addresses the problem of obtaining a clear means of establishing and identifying the potential for achieving nitrification within biological wastewater treatment processes. It was submitted under conditions outlined in NSF 89-85, Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER).
