Automated procedure for simultaneously measuring total globulin and total protein in serum.

An automated continuous-flow procedure has been developed for simultaneously measuring total serum protein and globulin. The method for total protein is a minor modification of an existing automated method in which the biuret reagent is used. Total globulin is measured by reaction with glyoxylic acid, and standardized with N-acetyltryptophan. An empirical factor relating concentration of N-acetyltryptophan to human globulin has been derived. Values for total serum globulin obtained by this new automated procedure correlate closely with values obtained by electrophoresis, but do not agree with values obtained by use of procedures involving binding of anionic dye. Recovery of gamma globulin added to serum is essentially quantitative; the day-to-day precision (CV) is 4.31%.