Spectrophotometric determination of plasma thiocyanate by formation of an ion-pair with methylene blue.
We describe a sensitive method for measuring thiocyanate in 500 microliters plasma samples. This technique, although slower than the standard method, improves sensitivity. It requires the extraction in chloroform of an ion-pair formed between thiocyanate ions and methylene blue in acidic medium. Within-day precision had a coefficient of variation of 2.5% and between-day precision a CV of 4.75%. The results were well-correlated (r = 0.997). For 30 non-smokers, the mean thiocyanate level was < 55 mumol/l, and for 30 smokers 90 mumol/l (SD = 20). The method was successfully applied to seven fire smoke victims treated with hydroxocobalamin.
Laforge
M
M
Laboratoire de biochimie-toxicologie, hôpital Fernand-Widal, Paris, France.
Roques
M G
MG
Galliot
M
M
Levillain
P
P
D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D008751:Methylene Blue; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000097:blood; D012907:Smoking; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000097:blood*
D007477:Ions; D013861:Thiocyanates; D008751:Methylene Blue