Some observations on the nature of the calcium-cresolphthalein complexone reaction and its relevance to the clinical laboratory.
The reasons for the non-linearity of the standard curve for the calcium-cresolphthalein complexone reaction have been investigated. Calcium forms both 1:1 and 2:1 complexes with cresolphthalein complexone; at low calcium concentrations the 1:1 complex predominates and causes non-linearity. At high calcium concentrations the cresolphthalein complexone concentration becomes limiting, resulting in flattening of the calibration curve. It is recommended that two-point calibration of the assay be performed using a low calcium standard rather than setting on the baseline.
Corns
C M
CM
Department of Chemical Pathology, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Ludman
C J
CJ
D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002138:Calibration; D002614:Chelating Agents; D007700:Kinetics; D010635:Phenolphthaleins; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
D002614:Chelating Agents; D010635:Phenolphthaleins; C017845:2-cresolphthalexon; D002118:Calcium