Validation of ELISA methods for search and quantification of β-n-methylamino-l-alanine in water and fish tissue

ABSTRACTWater basins with low hydrodynamic activities can promote the growth and increase in algal biomass due to eutrophication, and toxic cyanobacteria species might then produce metabolites hazardous to human health. Over the last decade, a neurotoxic non-protein amino acid, (2S)-2-amino-3-(methylamino) propanoic acid, known as β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), has become of particular interest because it has been hypothesised to be involved in progressive human neurodegenerative pathologies. This toxin can be found both in algal cells and free in water, as well as in some foods of aquatic and terrestrial origin. Analytical methods used for BMAA are often based on chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, although these techniques involve long and expensive analysis. As the availability of a faster and cheaper screening method would be useful, we tested the only available Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay kit for BMAA evaluation and validated methods to verify their reliability for the analysis of...