Direct hapten-linked multiplexed immunoassays on polycarbonate surface

Abstract Direct hapten-linked multiplexed immunoassay is developed on the polycarbonate surface of standard Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs) for six compounds of environmental concern, as proof of concept. Carboxylated haptens are directly linked to the aminated polycarbonate surface through carbodiimide/succinimide coupling. The modified DVD surface maintained its physical and optical properties. Multiplexed assay reached detection limits down to 0.1 μg/L for chlorpyrifos, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxypropionic acid, sulfathiazole and sulfasalazine and down to 1.0 μg/L for fenthion and malathion. This approach presents advantages such as the improvement in sensitivity in comparison to protein–hapten conjugate format for all the studied analytes and the absence of cross-interference effects, allowing high throughput multianalysis on the same surface. Also, a comparison of the performance of two sensing strategies indicated that DVD disc and drive approach turned out in a simpler mode, the assays being more reproducible and with higher signal to noise ratios.