Test for occult blood in an emulsified aqueous/organic system

Abstract

Abstract A method and test of detecting occult blood in a stool or other physiologic fluid sample which offers novelty in that the reaction is carried out in the organic phase selected from the group consisting of methylene dichloride, petroleum ether, and dioxane in an aqueous/organic bi-phase system wherein the sample of occult blood is added to the aqueous phase, the bi-phase system is mixed by emulsification and a standard color-forming reaction involving organically soluble hemoglobin (heme), peroxide, and dye is carried out in the organic phase. Optionally, a filter paper porous only to organic solvents may be introduced to initially separate the aqueous and organic phases and further a device for mixing and separating immiscible liquids having two chambers telescopable into one another may be utilized. The reaction involving hemoglobin is carried out in acetic acid to produce heme which is later solubilized by the organic solvent. An advantage over previous tests lies in the effectiveness of the present method even in the presence of normally occurring amounts of ascorbic acid which inhibit all aqueous phase methods. The present test will give positive results for occult blood in the presence of at least 20 mg/dl of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) or, alternatively, where the patient has ingested levels of Vitamin C or other reducing agent at an input of above 6 gm/day orally. This latter factor is quite important in present-day clinical practice where a substantial percentage of the patients are ingesting Vitamin C.

Inventors

• 👤 Russell M. Jaffe

Bibliographic Details