Saxitoxin (PSP) ELISA Test Kit

Product Description

REAGEN™ Saxitoxin (PSP) ELISA Test Kit is a competitive enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative analysis of Saxitoxin in mussels and water samples. Saxitoxin, the principal component of paralytic shellfish poisons (PSP), blocks the sodium ion channels in nerve and muscle membranes.The lethal dose in humans is 1 to 3 mg. Numbness and respiratory paralysis can occur after oral ingestion of as little as 0.5 - 1.0mg saxitoxin.

Saxitoxin residues can be determined by either GC-MS or HPLC. However, enzyme immunoassays (ELISA) show considerable advantages as it is faster and more sensitive.

REAGEN™ Saxitoxin (PSP) ELISA Test Kit enables international and government regulatory agencies, food manufacturers and processors, as well as quality assurance organizations, to detect saxitoxin in shellfish matrices and to satisfy customer concerns about food safety.

The method is based on a competitive colorimetric ELISA assay. The second antibody against anti-saxitoxin antibody was coated in the plate wells. During the analysis, sample is added along with the saxitoxin-horseradish peroxidase (Saxitoxin-HRP) conjugate and anti-saxitoxin antibody. If the saxitoxin residue is present in the sample, it will compete with Saxitoxin-HRP for the anti-saxitoxin antibody, thereby preventing the Saxitoxin-HRP from binding to the anti-Saxitoxin antibody. The anti-saxitoxin antibodies are then bound by the second antibody immobilized on the plate. After a washing step and addition of the TMB substrate solution, a color signal is produced. The color reaction is stopped after a specified time and the color is evaluated using an ELISA reader. The resulting color intensity has an inverse relationship with the saxitoxin residue concentration in the sample.