A modified orcinol test for the specific determination of RNA.

The standard orcinol test for estimating RNA is modified and developed as a specific method for the determination of RNA in the presence of DNA and proteins. The main differences in the procedure of the modified test when compared to that of the standard test are preincubation of the samples with H2SO4 before addition of the orcinol reagent, decreased concentration of orcinol, no addition of FeCl3.6H2O, and quantitation of RNA at its maximum absorbance under these conditions at 500 nm where interferences from DNA and proteins were minimal.