title: Automated and manual luminescent assay of antioxidant capacity: analytical features by comparison.
abstract: The analytical performances of a manual and a partially automated chemiluminescent (CL) assay, of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were assessed. In both cases the light emitting reaction involved luminol, horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxyde, but the emission kinetics and the parameters taken into account to calculate TAC values were completely different. The major characteristics expressing the quality of the two analytical methods, i.e. inaccuracy, repeteability and reproducibility, sensitivity, time required for the analysis and detection limit, were estimated by using standard solutions of Trolox. The reliability of the automated method, in comparison with the more validated manual one, was demonstrated testing food samples such as honey, wine and dietary supplements and performing a statistical analysis of the results. The comparison of the two series of data by t-test resulted in p values in the range 0.1-0.01. The time required for the analysis of each sample was reduced to one third using the automated method.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Science, U.C. Scienze Chimiche Radiochimiche e Metallurgiche, University of Bologna, Via S. Donato 15, I-40127 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girotti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bolelli
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Budini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sichertova