Automated enzymatic method for the determination of ammonia: application to rumen fluid, gut fluid, and plasma.

The enzymatic method for the determination of ammonia with glutamate dehydrogenase has been adapted to the AutoAnalyzer. The automated method was applicable for NH(3) measurement in sheep rumen samples, swine gut fluid samples, and bovine plasma. Results were compared with those of the Conway diffusion method and the manual enzymatic method. The automated method allows 30 samples per h to be analyzed routinely. Values were comparable with those with the manual method, but lower than those with the Conway diffusion method.