Correction for relative interferences in a cholesterol determination

The detrimental influences of thiouracil, propylthiouracil, and bromide on the ferric perchlorate reaction for cholesterol have been previously reported (2, 3). On the basis of recovery studies it can be shown that their role in the reaction results in a relative rather than an absolute error of cholesterol measurement. Because a relative error causes a linear fanning effect on increasing concentrations of analyte which depends for its slope on both the concentration of the interference as well as on the concentration of constituent being measured, the method of standard additions can be used to correct a matrix effect on the reaction. A system in which the standard is used internally can eliminate the need to pretreat the sample in order to separate the interfering compound from the analyte. Therefore, both the interference and its obviation by this method of internal standardization are discussed here in a procedure which results in a means for simpler rescue of a contaminated sample than is afforded by the more laborious and time consuming pretreatment of previous workers.