Method for detection of fluoride or hydrogen fluoride and detection kit

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for detecting and/or measuring the concentration of fluoride (F − ) or hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a sample, comprising the steps consisting of bringing said sample, in aqueous solution, into contact with a silylated organic compound in order to obtain a measurement solution, with said silylated organic compound being desilylated when it is in the presence of hydrofluoric acid or a fluoride, with the silylated organic compound and the desilylated organic compound being able to be detected and/or measured separately from each other; and detecting and/or measuring, in said measurement solution, the appearance of the desilylated against compound or the disappearance of the silylated organic compound, which takes place if fluoride or hydrogen fluoride is present in the sample. The method enables the presence of hydrogen fluoride or of fluorine to be detected very easily and expediently at concentrations of 10 −2 l of HF/10 6 l of air (10 ppb) or else of 0.5 to 1 μg/ml of HF in solution. The kit of the present invention comprises the components which are required for implementing this method. The method of the invention makes it possible to detect fluorine at concentrations of the order of 0.001 μg/ml.

1 . A kit for detecting and/or measuring the concentration of fluoride (F − ) or hydrogen fluoride (HF) in a sample, comprising the following reagents: a silylated organic compound which is desilylated when it is in the presence of fluorine or hydrofluoric acid; and a means for detecting, in aqueous solution, the appearance of the desilylated organic compound or the disappearance of the silylated organic compound. 
     
     
         2 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the silylated organic compound is: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are independently selected from C 1  to C 6  alkyls, and R 4  is said organic compound. 
       
     
     
         3 . The kit as claimed in  claim 3 , in which R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl. 
     
     
         4 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the organic compound is a hydroxylated compound having a molecular weight of from 250 to 200,000 g.mol −1 . 
     
     
         5 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the organic compound is a hydroxylated compound selected from the group consisting of estradiol, peptides, homovanillic acid, amphotericin, steroids, cytokines or arachidonic acid, and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the organic compound is estradiol or one of its derivatives. 
     
     
         7 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the organic compound is selected from the group consisting of estra-1,3,5-triene-3,17μ or 17μ-diol, and their derivatives. 
     
     
         8 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , which additionally comprises one or more antibody(ies) which is/are directed against the unsilylated or desilylated organic compound or against the silylated organic compound. 
     
     
         9 . The kit as claimed in  claim 8 , which additionally comprises reagents and antibodies which are required for implementing a competitive-type immunoassay or reagents and antibodies which are required for implementing a non-competitive-type immunoassay. 
     
     
         10 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , which additionally comprises a polystyrene strip in which is/are formed one or more well(s) which serve(s) as (a) receptacle(s) for the step of contacting and/or detection and/or measurement. 
     
     
         11 . The kit as claimed in  claim 10 , in which the silylated organic compound is silylated estradiol and said silylated estradiol is bound to the bottom of the wells. 
     
     
         12 . The kit as claimed in  claim 1 , in which wells are coated with antibodies directed against mouse anti-estradiol antibodies.