A simple and sensitive colorimetric method for the determination of long-chain free fatty acids in subcellular organelles

Michael Nixon, Samuel H.P. Chan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

A colorimetric assay for the determination of long-chain free fatty acids (FFA) is described. The FFA were extracted from subcellular organelles with chloroform:heptane:methanol. The copper soaps of FFA were determined colorimetrically with diphenylcarbazide. There are three advantages to employing the present modified procedure. (a) The sensitivity has been increased approximately twofold over that of the previous procedure of K. Falholt, B. Lund, and W. Falholt (1973, Clin. Chim. Acta46, 105-111); (b) it takes less time to complete the assay compared to the tedious procedures currently available; and (c) the presence of bovine serum albumin, a known FAA-binding protein, does not interfere with the assay procedure. The assay shows a linear response over the range of 10 to 130 nmol of FFA. The recovery of free fatty acids from mitochondria is 99%.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)403-409
Number of pages7
JournalAnalytical Biochemistry
Volume97
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 1979

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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