Prevention of interference by dextran with biuret-type assay of serum proteins

In assay of serum proteins by use of the biuret reaction, dextran can cause turbidity by formation of an insoluble complex of dextran with copper and tartrate (or EDTA) in strongly alkaline solution. Whether or not the turbidity occurs depends on the tartrate concentration: turbidity is maximal at about 10 g/L, absent at 20 g/L or more, and only slight and delayed at 4 g/L. Two biuret reagents, containing respectively 5.6 and 22.5 g of tartrate per liter, obviate the interference, but the former is suitable only when a short (5 min) incubation is used. Both reagents show linear calibration curves and yield virtually identical results.