A Critical Evaluation of 1,10-Phenanthroline as a Reagent for Sialic Acid Determinations.

摘要

The use of o-phenanthroline as a reagent for the quantitative determination of sialic acids has been proposed by a previous investigator. This method was based on an increase in absorbance at 307nm that occurred when solutions of o-phenanthroline and various sialic acids were mixed. It was postulated that the increase in absorbance resulted from the formation of specific complexes. In the present study employing N-acetylneuraminic acid,no evidence for complex formation was found. Results indicate that the observations of the previous investigator resulted from shifts in the pH of the medium rather than from formation of specific complexes. Therefore o-phenanthroline is not a specific reagent for sialic acids and its use is not recommended. (Modified author abstract)