title: Chlorophyll fluorescence biosensor for the detection of herbicides.
abstract: A biosensor is described for the detection of triazine and phenylurea herbicides in drinking water by kinetic measurements of endogenous chlorophyll fluorescence in isolated chloroplasts from higher plants. The pocket-size device uses a diode laser for simultaneous excitation of sample and reference channels, and photodiodes for detection of the emitted light. The biological material can be supplied as a freeze-dried powder, stable for 21 days at room temperature, for 6 weeks at 4 ( degrees )C or for at least 9 months at -20 ( degrees )C. The detection of 0.1 microg/l of a single herbicide, as required by European Community legislation on drinking water quality, can be achieved without prior extraction of the sample.
authors.affiliation: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut für Radiochemie, Postfach 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ache