Guidance for selecting the measurement conditions in the dye-binding method for determining serum protein: theoretical analysis based on the chemical equilibrium of protein error.

A methodology for selecting the measurement conditions in the dye-binding method for determining serum protein has been studied by a theoretical calculation. This calculation was based on the fact that a protein error occurs because of a reaction between the side chains of a positively charged amino acid residue in a protein molecule and a dissociated dye anion. The calculated characteristics of this method are summarized as follows: (1) Although the reaction between the dye and the protein occurs up to about pH 12, a change in the color shade, called protein error, is observed only in a pH region restricted within narrow limits. (2) Although the apparent absorbance (the absorbance of the test solution measured against a reagent blank) is lower than the true absorbance indicated by the formed dye-protein complex, the apparent absorbance correlates with the true absorbance with a correlation coefficient of 1.0. (3) At a higher dye concentration, the calibration curve is more linear at a higher pH than at a lower pH. Most of these characteristics were similarly observed experimentally in the reactions of BPB, BCG and BCP with human and bovine albumins. It is concluded that in order to ensure the linearity of the calibration curve, the measurement should be performed at a higher dye concentration and sufficiently high pH where the detection sensitivity is satisfied.