Date of Award

2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Department

Environmental Applied Science and Management

First Advisor

James Li

Second Advisor

Ching Lo

Abstract

Dioxins are environmental contaminants that are toxic to humans. The conventional analytical method for dioxins, gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry, is extremely time-consuming and expensive. Research is needed to find alternative methods that will increase sample throughput while decreasing time and costs associated with dioxin detection. Dioxins readily accumulate in fish tissue and fish are a common food source for humans. Thus, the goal of this research was to develop a screening technique for dioxins in fish samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three approaches, each with a different fish sample purification method but all using ELISA detection, were undertaken. This research concluded that the approach of Florisil cleanup followed by ELISA detection (Florisil-ELISA) was suitable as a screening technique. The other two approaches, one using gel permeation chromatography (GPC-ELISA) and the other using acid silica and carbon columns (acid silica/carbon-ELISA) for fish sample cleanup, were not suitable.


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