Cholesterol study: Reaction plateau and kinetic determinations

A study has been described of a comparison between reaction plateaus and kinetic modes for measuring cholesterol. A similar investigation of bilirubin reactions under the same procedural conditions was also carried out because this compound is a major interference which is frequently encountered in abnormal serums. The findings indicate that bilirubin is a more sensitive reactant than cholesterol by LB reaction but that its effect as an interference can be lessened by a kinetic approach providing that the effect of H₂O on reaction velocity and molar absorptivity can be minimized. An iron reaction even though more sensitive proved less workable in the kinetic mode owing to reaction velocity and the presence of air bubbles. However, its reaction plateau characteristics were superior to the LB reaction because of a favorable ratio of colors generated for the two reacting constituents. Based on this study, it is predictable that a kinetic approach is quite workable for the LB reaction and could be made more workable for the iron reaction if, in the latter case, conditions perhaps such as temperature and reaction media, could be altered to slow the rate of color formation.