Modified magnesium method in the aca III: elimination of interference by bilirubin

Bilirubin interferes with the Du Pont magnesium method in the aca at 510 nm. We determined that bilirubin concentrations in serum samples up to 380 mg/L did not affect the absorbance measured in the aca III at 540 nm, and therefore we modified the Du Pont setting of spectrophotometer for the magnesium method to 540 and 600 nm. Accuracy and precision of the modified method were comparable with the unmodified method and with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. For comparison, we analyzed serum samples with normal (n = 37) and increased (n = 22) bilirubin concentration with the modified method in the aca III (y) and in the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (x). The results (range 0.56-1.25 mmol/L) were in good agreement (x = y = 0.84 mmol/L, D(x - y) = -0.001, SD = 0.004, t = 0.238, P greater than 0.50) and bilirubin did not interfere with the modified method.