[A specific spectrophotometric method for determining plasma and/or serum hemoglobin. Use of the chromogen 2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate (ABTS)].

The authors describe a method for the determination of the plasma and/or serum haemoglobin, based on the peroxidase properties of the Haemoglobin-Haptoglobin complex, following the action of a solution of ABTS and hydrogen peroxide. The colour observed after a defined period of time is measured by spectrophotometry at 402 nm and is proportional to the haemoglobin concentration of the sample. A statistical study of the plasma haemoglobin concentration performed in male and female blood donors aged between 18 and 60 years is also presented.