Study on the interaction between protein and Eu(III)-chlorotetracycline complex and the determination of protein using the fluorimetric method.

Chlorotetracycline (CTC) can react with europium ions Eu3+, and the complex emits the intrinsic fluorescence of Eu3+. The intensity is greatly enhanced by proteins and this forms the basis of a new fluorimetric method for determination of protein. Further research indicates that under optimum conditions, the enhanced intensity of fluorescence is in proportion to the concentration of proteins, in the range 2.0 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) g/mL for bovine serum albumin (BSA) (linear equation, I(f) = 34.35933 + 11.54467 x 10(6)C)(r = 0.99895) and 8.0 x 10(-7)-1.0 x 10(-5) g/mL for human serum albumin (HSA) (linear equation, I(f) = 76.58881 + 5.3569 x 10(6)C) (r = 0.99283). Detection limits (S/N = 3) were 8.9 x 10(-9) g/mL for BSA and 3.3 x 10(-8) g/mL for HSA. In an assay for BSA in calf serum, this method gave a value close to that determined by the UV spectrophotometric method.