An automated, specific, spectrophotometric method for measuring ascorbic acid in plasma (EFTSA)
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Published on: April 11, 2014
1Department of Health Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Objective:
To evaluate an automated enzyme linked, ferric-tripyridyltriazine spectrophotometric assay (EFTSA) for plasma ascorbic acid.
Design And Methods:
Using aqueous ascorbic acid solutions and plasma containing native and/or added ascorbic acid, the following were assessed: reaction kinetics, dose response relationships, recovery of added ascorbic acid, specificity, precision.
Results:
Performing the test on a Cobas Fara centrifugal analyser, the test is linear at least to 400 micromol/L; within-run CVs at 20, 50, 140, and 300 micromol/L ascorbic acid, in both pure aqueous solutions and in plasma, were <5.5%; 99-105% of added ascorbic acid (from 30-130 micromol/L) was recovered. The reaction of ascorbic acid is virtually instantaneous; other native antioxidants do not appear to interfere, and there is no interference by dehydroascorbic acid when readings are taken within a 15-60-s reaction time window.
Conclusion:
EFTSA appears suitable for the routine measurement of ascorbic acid in plasma.
