Spectrophotometric Determination of Cystine with O-Phthalaldehyde in the Absence of Thiol

Abstract
A spectrophotometric method for the determination of cystine with o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) in the absence of thiol is described. When cystine is heated at 60.degree. C for 30 min in a low excess of OPA (pH 9.5), a very stable derivative with 1:2 stoichiometry (cystine:OPA) and an absorption maximum at 335 nm (.epsilon. = 4600) is formed. At pH < 1 the derivative is protonated (protonation constants: log K1 = 5.88 and log K2 = 3.70 at I = 0.1 and 20.degree. C) and another absorption band at 440 nm (.epsilon. = 3800) appears, which allows the determination of cystine in the presence of other amino acids.

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