A modified ninhydrin colorimetric analysis for amino acids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemical analysis of microbial cells. The preparation of material for analysis is discussed, because changes in the chemical composition of cells may occur as a result of the washing and storage conditions used. Wet- and dry-weight determinations of bacterial samples and assay of total cell numbers are described, because analytical results must refer to one or other of these values. Selection of an analytical procedure is a subjective process, because the number of suitable methods is large and each will have different merits and defects. Primary considerations are sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and absolute accuracy. Automatic methods for performing biochemical analyses, already widely accepted in hospitals and in industry, are beginning to make their way into the research laboratory. All automatic analyzers developed so far may be classified as either “continuous-flow” or “discrete” types. All of them use colorimetric methods exclusively and contain some form of automatic colorimeter for final read-out. The first and best-known is the Technicon “AutoAnalyzer,” which is of the continuous-flow type.

Chapter III Chemical Analysis of Microbial Cells

Proteins at liquid interfaces: I. Kinetics of adsorption and surface denaturation

An improved colorimetric determination of amino acids with the use of ninhydrin

The metabolism of aromatic compounds in higher plants. IV. Purification and properties of the phenylalanine deaminase of Hordeum vulgare.

A systematic review of the mechanism and application of the ninhydrin colour test for amino-acids, with a note on its use in the identification of protein hydrolysates. -- AATA

R. E. Ricketts

Papers

The determination of amino-acids with ninhydrin