Biocide monitoring goes high-tech

Maximum efficiency of water treatment programs requires precise control of chemical concentrations. Detecting low levels of nonoxidizing biocides can be difficult in the field and is further complicated by water turnover and, in some cases, the natural degradation of the chemical. At the same time, ever-increasing concerns about effluent toxicity make it desirable to have this capability. An antibody-based immunoassay has recently been developed for the industrial biocide 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide ide (DBNPA), which provides for the first time a sensitive and selective field-friendly method of analysis.