Initial activity and inactivation of alkaline phosphatase in different lots of buffer

Alkaline phosphatase activities were determined in six lots of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and in six lots of diethanolamine (DEA) buffers without preincubation of the sample. There appeared to be differences between the lot numbers in both cases, resulting in a variation in initial activity. When serum samples are preincubated with buffer a loss of activity was observed in 4 out of the 6 AMP buffers. Four human isoenzymes showed varying inactivation during preincubation with AMP buffer. No loss of activity was observed when the preincubation was done with the six DEA buffers. These results indicate that the purity of the commercially-available buffers is quite unsatisfactory.