Journal article
Detecting and minimizing zinc contamination in physiological solutions
BMC physiology, Vol.4(1), pp.4-4
03/15/2004
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6793-4-4
PMCID: PMC395835
PMID: 15113426
Abstract
To explore the role of zinc (Zn) in cellular physiology it is important to be able to control and quantify the level of Zn contamination in experimental solutions. A technique that relies on a Zn-sensitive fluorimetric probe is introduced for measuring Zn concentrations as low as 100 pM. The method depends on the combination of the Zn-probe FluoZin-3 together with a slow Zn-chelator, Ca-EDTA, that reduces the background Zn levels and allows repeated measurements in the same solution.
The method was used to determine which common labware items could leach Zn into solution. Contamination was predictably found to arise from stainless steel and glass. Perhaps less expectedly it was also introduced by methacrylate cuvettes, plastic tissue culture dishes and other plastic labware. The release of nickel from stainless steel electrodes was also imaged using the fluorescent probe Newport Green.
Zn contamination may arise from rather unexpected sources; it is important that all aspects and components used in the course of an experiment be analyzed for the possibility of introducing contaminants.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Detecting and minimizing zinc contamination in physiological solutions
- Creators
- Alan R Kay - Dept of Biological Sciences, 138 BB, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. alan-kay@uiowa.edu
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- BMC physiology, Vol.4(1), pp.4-4
- Publisher
- England
- DOI
- 10.1186/1472-6793-4-4
- PMID
- 15113426
- PMCID
- PMC395835
- ISSN
- 1472-6793
- eISSN
- 1472-6793
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/15/2004
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9983991996802771
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