Abstract: A method for the rapid detection of actively respiring microorganisms comprises the steps of detecting the presence of microorganisms utilizing microbial enzymatic conversion of tetrazolium salts to formazan products, detecting the presence of formazan product.

Abstract: The invention comprises a low temperature method for the in situ derivatization and coupling of thermally and hydrolytically labile organic compounds such as spectinomycin to immunogenic carrier substances. The compound coupled to the immunogenic carrier is utilized to produce antibodies selective for the organic compound. Such methods allow for the quantitative analysis of the target organic compound and may be competitive or non-competitive immunoassays in which the dose response is directly or indirectly proportional to the concentration of spectinomycin-related substances. Such assays may be used to detect the presence of or to quantitate the amount of the organic compound in a complex and varied immunological background such as a sample of a biomass material. Detection of organic compound in the sample occurs through binding to a specific antibody.

Abstract: The invention comprises a low temperature method for the in situ derivatization and coupling of thermally and hydrolytically labile organic compounds such as spectinomycin to immunogenic carrier substances. The compound coupled to the immunogenic carrier is utilized to produce antibodies selective for the organic compound. Such methods allow for the quantitative analysis of the target organic compound and may be competitive or non-competitive immunoassays in which the dose response is directly or indirectly proportional to the concentration of spectinomycin-related substances. Such assays may be used to detect the presence of or to quantitate the amount of the organic compound in a complex and varied immunological background such as a sample of a biomass material. Detection of organic compound in the sample occurs through binding to a specific antibody.