Several analytical methodologies are available to monitor agricultural chemicals such as parathion in environmental samples (soil, water) and in extracts from food products. In addition, methods are available to monitor some pesticides in samples of biological fluids such as urine and serum. However, these methods are generally based on the use of sophisticated instrumentation. The expense and time involved in processing samples with the available technology makes them generally unsuitable for broad scale epidemiological monitoring of the general population. In addition, the available technology is not generally adaptable to use in non laboratory environments. In contrast, immunochemical techniques provide reliable detection of specific antigens, are cost effective and can be developed for use by relatively unskilled individuals in non laboratory settings. Moreover, immunochemical reagents can be used to detect and quantitate in situ via immunochemical staining of tissue preparations and can therefore be readily used to identify sites of tissue, cellular or sub cellular accumulation of residues. Finally, immunochemical methods can be designed to detect specific antigens or whole families of related antigens. In this regard, immunochemical methods are uniquely suited for broad scale screening studies. Therefore, it is proposed that several approaches be explored for the generation of immunochemical detection of pesticide residues using parathion as a test model. It is further proposed that an innovative approach to this problem include the use of liposomes and adjuvants to prepare the desired immunochemical reagents. The application of these new approaches will then be available to compliment protein conjugation as a tool for antibody production against low molecular weight pesticide haptens.
