A sensitive and broad class selective direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibody (McAb) has been described for the detection of pyrethroids with phenoxybenzene group. One monoclonal antibody, 2G(2)E(7), was obtained and characterized after fusion of myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from BALB/c mice. The assay with the most selectivity for the family pyrethroids with phenoxybenzene group was optimized. The IC(50) values of the optimized immunoassay were 1.8 μg L(-1) for deltamethrin, 1.5 μg L(-1) for cypermethrin, 2.0 μg L(-1) for fluvalinate and fenvalerate, 2.2 μg L(-1) for phenothrin, 2.4 μg L(-1) for flucythrinate, 3.0 μg L(-1) for fenpropathrin, and 5.0 μg L(-1) for permethrin. River water samples fortified with pyrethroids were analyzed with the ELISA to evaluate the accuracy of the assay. The recoveries of pyrethroids in spiked water samples ranged from 74 to 108%. The results indicate that the ELISA developed can accurately simultaneously determine pyrethroids with phenoxybenzene group in water samples.