A kinetic colorimetric procedure for quantifying magnesium in serum

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Biochemical Assays
• Enzymology

Background:

• Accurate determination of serum magnesium is crucial for diagnosing various medical conditions.
• Existing methods may be costly, time-consuming, or require specialized instrumentation.
• There is a need for a rapid, precise, and easily automatable magnesium assay.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel kinetic colorimetric procedure for quantifying magnesium in human serum.
• To establish a cost-effective and efficient method for routine clinical laboratory use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized glycerol kinase to phosphorylate glycerol, followed by oxidation with glycerophosphate oxidase to produce hydrogen peroxide.
• Employed peroxidase for a colorimetric reaction involving 4-aminoantipyrine and 2-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorobenzenesulfonate, generating a red product.
• Measured the rate of color development at 510 nm, correlating it with magnesium concentration via the Mg x ATP complex.

Main Results:

• The developed kinetic colorimetric method demonstrated a clear proportionality between color production rate and serum magnesium concentration.
• The assay is rapid, precise, and does not require expensive instrumentation.
• Results obtained using this method showed good agreement with established Du Pont aca and manual Magon sulfonate assays.

Conclusions:

• The novel kinetic colorimetric procedure provides a reliable and efficient means for serum magnesium determination.
• This method is suitable for automation and offers a practical alternative for clinical laboratories.
• The assay's speed, precision, and cost-effectiveness make it a valuable diagnostic tool.