Determination of methemoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin in blood by rapid colorimetry. 1997

T Matsuoka
Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters, Nagoya, Japan.

A sensitive and rapid colorimetry for determination of methemoglobin (MetHb) in hemolysate of the test blood was devised by measurement of absorbance at 563 nm, the isosbestic point of spectra of cyanomethemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, at pH 6.8. MetHb was determined as the difference in absorption caused by cyanide in the absence of potassium ferricyanide divided by the difference in absorption caused by cyanide in the presence of the ferricyanide. Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood was also estimated from the absorbance values of the hemolysates with or without potassium ferricyanide after the addition of cyanide. The method requires only 3 microliters of test blood and 10 min for determinations of MetHb and COHb in blood. Results obtained by the method were in satisfactory agreement with theoretical results for mixture of MetHb, COHb, and oxyhemoglobin. The method was compared with two other methods using 55 forensic blood samples containing various amounts of MetHb and COHb, and proved to be suitable for practical samples.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008706 Methemoglobin Ferrihemoglobin
D002263 Carboxyhemoglobin Carbomonoxyhemoglobin,Carbonmonoxyhemoglobin,Carbonylhemoglobin,Carboxyhemoglobin A,Carboxyhemoglobin C
D003124 Colorimetry Any technique by which an unknown color is evaluated in terms of standard colors. The technique may be visual, photoelectric, or indirect by means of spectrophotometry. It is used in chemistry and physics. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013057 Spectrum Analysis The measurement of the amplitude of the components of a complex waveform throughout the frequency range of the waveform. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Spectroscopy,Analysis, Spectrum,Spectrometry

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