Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Removal of Arsenic Using a Cationic Polymer Gel Impregnated with Iron Hydroxide
08:01

Removal of Arsenic Using a Cationic Polymer Gel Impregnated with Iron Hydroxide

Published on: June 28, 2019

EFFECT OF MERTHIOLATE (LILLY) ON CERTAIN SPECIFIC PRECIPITATION REACTIONS

D Pressman, A L Grossberg

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |March 9, 1945
    PubMed

    Insights

    Merthiolate, a preservative, can interfere with specific precipitation tests used for antisera. This interference can either increase or decrease precipitation, affecting test accuracy.

    Area of Science:

    • Immunochemistry
    • Analytical Chemistry

    Background:

    • Merthiolate is a widely used preservative.
    • Specific precipitation tests are crucial for immunological analysis.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the effect of Merthiolate on specific precipitation reactions.
    • To determine if Merthiolate alters the accuracy of antisera testing.

    Main Methods:

    • Antisera against beef and sheep serum were prepared.
    • Diazotized compounds including p-aminobenzoic acid were used.
    • Merthiolate was added in typical preservative concentrations.

    Main Results:

    • Merthiolate interfered with specific precipitation.
    • Observed effects included both increased and decreased precipitation.
    • The impact varied depending on the specific antigen-antibody system.

    Conclusions:

    • Merthiolate can affect the reliability of specific precipitation tests.
    • Care should be taken when using Merthiolate in immunological assays.
    • Further research may be needed to understand the mechanisms of interference.

    More Related Videos

    Analysis of Effect of Compound Salt Stress on Seed Germination and Salt Tolerance Analysis of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)08:27

    Analysis of Effect of Compound Salt Stress on Seed Germination and Salt Tolerance Analysis of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

    Published on: November 30, 2022

    Evaluating Leaf Responses to Microbial Secondary Metabolites Using A High-Throughput Format05:51

    Evaluating Leaf Responses to Microbial Secondary Metabolites Using A High-Throughput Format

    Published on: December 5, 2025

    Related Concept Videos

    Responses to Salt Stress02:02

    Responses to Salt Stress

    Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
    Precipitation Reactions03:10

    Precipitation Reactions

    In a precipitation reaction, aqueous solutions of soluble salts react to give an insoluble ionic compound – the precipitate. The reaction occurs when oppositely charged ions in solution overcome their attraction for water and bind to each other, forming a precipitate that separates out from the solution. Since such reactions involve the exchange of ions between ionic compounds in aqueous solution, they are also referred to as double displacement, double replacement, exchange reactions, or...
    Factors Affecting Solubility04:01

    Factors Affecting Solubility

    Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Chȃtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
    Precipitation of Ions03:11

    Precipitation of Ions

    Predicting Precipitation
    The equation that describes the equilibrium between solid calcium carbonate and its solvated ions is:
    Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria01:19

    Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria

    The addition of an inert ionic compound increases the solubility of a sparingly soluble salt. For example, adding potassium nitrate to a saturated solution of calcium sulfate significantly enhances the solubility of calcium sulfate. Le Châtelier's principle cannot predict this shift in the equilibrium. Instead, this could be explained in terms of changes in the effective concentration of the ions in solution in the presence of added inert salt.
    In this solution, the primary cation—the calcium...
    Precipitation and Co-precipitation01:17

    Precipitation and Co-precipitation

    Precipitation and coprecipitation methods can be used to separate a mixture of ions in a solution. In qualitative inorganic analysis, ions that form sparingly soluble precipitates with the same reagent are separated based on the differences in solubility products. For example, consider the separation of Cu(II) and Fe(II) ions by precipitation as insoluble sulfides. First, copper(II) sulfide is precipitated by the addition of acidic H2S, where the dissociation of H2S is suppressed. Adding H2S...