Automated stopped-flow analyser in clinical chemistry: determination of albumin with bromcresol green and purple.
We describe an adaptation of a microcomputer-controlled stopped-flow analyzer for automated analysis of albumin in serum. The immediate reaction between bromcresol green or purple and albumin is used to develop a routine procedure with 12 s reaction time. The approach shows excellent linearity to 68 g/l, good sensitivity, a relative SD of less than 0.5%, mean recovery 99.1%, high sample throughput (180 prediluted samples/h) and no significant interferences. The 'reaction time' related overestimation of albumin that appears in prolonged procedures is eliminated, and results with this method correlate well with those obtained using the more specific immunonephelometric method.