DIAGNOSTIC IN CLINICAL

CHEMISTRY I
MKEB 2404
Title:
Determination of the analytical range, sensitivity, detection limit and
precision of the assay

Objectives:
 To determine the detection limit, linear range, sensitivity and intra –
assay precision (get the standard deviation and mean).
 Develop the calibration curve and analyze the graph that have been
develop

Principle:
Laboratory test was performed to assist clinicians in diagnosis and
management of patients. Some of the characteristics of the test are
important in determining the clinical usefulness of the test. The
characteristics are specificity and the sensitivity of the test.

In evaluation of analytical methods the performance parameter include

precision, accuracy, analytical sensitivity, analytical specificity, and linear
range

Precision: the agreement between two or more measurement that have

been made in exactly the same way. It uses to indicate how close the
single values are to another. Precision can be determined by:
Variance: describe the spread or distribution of a population of data /
N

values: ∑(X 1 − X )2
V = i =1

N −1
Standard deviation: positive square root of the variance: express the
precision. The smaller the SD, the more precise the values
N

∑(X 1 − X )2
S= i =1

N −1
Coefficient of variation (CV): describe the dispersion of values in relation
to the mean. CV lowers than 5% to be considered precise and acceptable
for patient specimen analysis

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 SD
CV = × 100%
mean
Detection limit: refers to the smallest concentration that can be detected
Linear range: range of concentration or other quantity in the sample over
which the method is applicable without modification
Analytical sensitivity: slope of the calibration curve and the ability of an
analytical procedure to produce a change in the signal for a defined
change of the quantity
Analytical specificity: methods ability to measure only the analyte of
interest

Sample & lab apparatus:

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) with standard concentration at 100mg/ml,
distilled water, control, color reagent and spectrophotometer

Procedure:
Make up series of dilution assay for protein (BSA) using Biuret method:
The Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was diluted 20X, 40X, 60X, 80X, and
100X.

20µl of each diluted

BSA
+
1000µl color reagent

Mix and incubate for 5 min at 20-250C

Measure at 540 nm against reagent blank

Plot absorbance VS concentration

Determine the linear range and the sensitivity of this method

Measure assay reagent blank:

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 20µl of distilled
water
+
1000µl color reagent

Mix and incubate for 5 min at 20-250C

Measure at 540 nm against reagent blank (10X)

Determine the detection limit

Determine the detection limit by detect the mean and standard deviation

Determination of intra – assay precision:

20µl of control
reagent
+
1000µl color reagent

Mix and incubate for 5 min at 20-250C

Measure at 540 nm against reagent blank (10X)

Determine the precision by calculate the coefficient of variation

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Results and calculations:
For series of dilution of protein (BSA) using Biuret method:
Concentratio
Calculation of volume BSA required
n
Set total volume is 200µl
To determine volume of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) need use
M1V1 = M2V2.
M1 = actual concentration of BSA
M2 = final concentration of BSA
20X
V1 = volume need
V2 = final volume
(100mg/dl)( V1) = (20)(200µl)
V1 = 40 µl
Volume water need: 200µl - 40µl = 160µl
Set total volume is 200µl
To determine volume of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) need use
M1V1 = M2V2.
M1 = actual concentration of BSA
M2 = final concentration of BSA
40X
V1 = volume need
V2 = final volume
(100mg/dl)( V1) = (40)(200µl)
V1 = 80 µl
Volume water need: 200µl - 80µl = 120µl
Set total volume is 200µl
To determine volume of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) need use
M1V1 = M2V2.
M1 = actual concentration of BSA
M2 = final concentration of BSA
60X
V1 = volume need
V2 = final volume
(100mg/dl)( V1) = (60)(200µl)
V1 = 120 µl
Volume water need: 200µl - 120µl = 80µl
80X Set total volume is 200µl
To determine volume of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) need use
M1V1 = M2V2.
M1 = actual concentration of BSA
M2 = final concentration of BSA
V1 = volume need
V2 = final volume
(100mg/dl)( V1) = (80)(200µl)
V1 = 160 µl

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 Volume water need: 200µl - 160µl = 40µl
Set total volume is 200µl
To determine volume of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) need use
M1V1 = M2V2.
M1 = actual concentration of BSA
100X M2 = final concentration of BSA
V1 = volume need
V2 = final volume
(100mg/dl)( V1) = (100)(200µl)
V1 = 200 µl

[BSA] (mg/ml) Absorbance 1 Absorbance 2 Average

0 0 0 0
20 0.05 0.131 0.091
40 0.132 0.209 0.171
60 0.241 0.316 0.279
80 0.297 0.366 0.332
100 0.492 0.405 0.449

Calculation:
Determination the linear range of the method:
0.405 − 0.10
Slope (m value) = = 0.004357 (4.357 X 10-3)
(90 − 20)mg / ml
So the equation of the line is: y = mx + c
C value is 0, so y = 0.004357 (X) + c

Determination the sensitivity of this method:

∆OD
sensitivity =
∆concentration
(0.405 − 0.100)
Sensitivity = = 0.004357
(90 − 20)mg / ml

Measure assay reagent blank:

Absorbance Concentration
Tubes X −X ( X − X )2
(y) mg/ml (X)
Use y=mx + c Ignored Ignored because this
C = 0, so because this tube was used as
1 0 y tube was reference
X =
0.004357 used as
X =0 reference
2 0.003 Use y=mx + c 0.689 – (-4.1881)2 = 17.540

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 C = 0, so 4.8771 =
0.003 -4.1881
X =
0.004357
X = 0.689
Use y=mx + c 8.951 – (4.0739)2 = 16.597
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
3 0.039 0.039 4.0739
X =
0.004357
X = 8.951
Use y=mx + c Ignored Ignored because the
C = 0, so because the absorbance too high
4 0.129 0.129 absorbance (error)
X =
0.004357 too high
X = 29.608 (error)
Use y=mx + c 6.426 – (1.5489)2 = 2.418
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
5 0.028 0.028 1.5489
X =
0.004357
X = 6.426
Use y=mx + c 4.590 – (0.2871)2 = 0.0824
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
6 0.020 0.020 -0.2871
X =
0.004357
X = 4.590
Use y=mx + c 4.361 – (0.5161)2 = 0.2664
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
7 0.019 0.019 -0.5161
X =
0.004357
X = 4.361
Use y=mx + c 6.426 – (1.5489)2 = 2.399
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
8 0.028 0.028 1.5489
X =
0.004357
X = 6.426
Use y=mx + c 6.197 – (-4.1881)2 = 1.742
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
9 0.027 0.027 1.3199
X =
0.004357
X = 6.197
10 0.006 Use y=mx + c 1.377 – (-4.1881)2 = 12.251
C = 0, so 4.8771 =
-3.5001

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 0.006
X =
0.004357
X = 1.377
∑ X = 39.017 ∑ ( X − X ) = 53.2955
Mean = ∑X
n
Mean =
39.017
= 4.8771
8

Determination of the detection limit:

The n value for this table is 8.

So mean value: ∑
X
n
39.017
Mean = = 4.8771
8
N

Standard deviation: ∑(X 1 − X )2

= 2.7588
S= i =1

N −1
Lower detection limit = mean + 3 SD
Lower detection limit = 4.8771 + 3(2.7588)
Lower detection limit = 13.1535 mg/ml

Determination of intra – assay precision:

Absorbance Concentration
Tubes X−X ( X − X )2
(y) mg/ml (X)
Use y=mx + c 84.232 – 34.069
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
1 0.367 0.367 -5.8369
X =
0.004357
X = 84.232
Use y=mx + c 94.560 – 20.170
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
2 0.412 0.412 4.4911
X =
0.004357
X = 94.560
3 0.393 Use y=mx + c 90.120 – 0.00261121
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
0.393 0.0511
X =
0.004357

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 X = 90.120
Use y=mx + c 89.970 – 0.00978121
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
4 0.392 0.392 -0.0989
X =
0.004357
X = 89.970
Use y=mx + c 90.888 – 0.671
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
5 0.396 0.396 0.8191
X =
0.004357
X = 90.888
Use y=mx + c 87.905 – 4.682
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
6 0.383 0.383 -2.1639
X =
0.004357
X = 87.905
Use y=mx + c 91.806 – 3.018
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
7 0.400 0.400 1.7371
X =
0.004357
X = 91.806
Use y=mx + c 90.120 – 0.00261121
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
8 0.393 0.393 0.0511
X =
0.004357
X = 90.120
Use y=mx + c 92.036 – 3.869
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
9 0.401 0.401 1.9671
X =
0.004357
X = 92.036
Use y=mx + c 89.052 – 1.034
C = 0, so 90.0689 =
10 0.388 0.388 -1.0169
X =
0.004357
X = 89.052
∑ X = 900.689 ∑ ( X − X ) = 67.528
Mean = ∑X
n
Mean =
900.689
= 90.0689
10

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 The n value for this table is 10.

So mean value: ∑
X
n
900.689
Mean = = 90.0689
10
N

Standard deviation: ∑(X 1 − X )2

S= i =1

N −1
67.528
Standard deviation: = 2.7392
10 − 1
SD
The coefficient of variation: CV = × 100%
mean
2.7392
CV = × 100% = 3.04%
90.0689
This value is lower than 5%, so it means that this data is considered
precise and acceptable for patient specimen analysis.

Discussion:
Linearity means the range of concentration or other quantity in the
specimen over which the method is applicable without modification.
Linearity should encompass the limits claimed by the manufacturer.
Usually in determine the linearity; we do a duplicate measurement
followed by taking a high standard, diluted it and measure.

In part A, the graph that has been plotted showed a linear range. From the
graph that has been plotted, we can assume that the concentration value
between 0 – 100 mg/dl in this shows a linear range (graph absorbance
versus concentrations). In other words, increase in concentration value
can also lead to increase in absorbance value. However after the
concentration more than 100 mg/dl, the graph is no longer in linear form.
So, we can conclude that the linearity of this method (Biuret methods) is
between 0 – 100 mg/dl. However the lowest value that can be detected by
this method can be detected in Part B. theoretically, when the sensitivity
increase, the method is better.
From part A: sensitivity (the slope value) = 0.004357 (4.357 X 10-3)
This value means that for every change / increase about 1
mg/dl, the absorbance value increase about 0.004357
The equation that have been made is y = 0.004357 (X) + c

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 In part B, we need to detect the detection limit for this method (Biuret
method). Detection limit is the smallest concentration or quantity of an
analyte that can be detected with reasonable certainty for a given
analytical procedure. Usually there are two ways in detecting the
detection limit. First is by making a dilution and second is by using a
blank measurement.

From part B: the detection limit for this method is 13.1535 mg/ml.
This results shows that this method only can detect the value of
concentration above than 13.1535 mg/dl. Any results that fall below than
this value should not be used.

In part C: we need to determine the precision of this method (Biuret

method). Precision is one of the analytical performances characteristics.
Precision can be detected by measuring the samples 20 times (in this
experiment only 10 times) and determine the value for standard deviation
(SD) and coefficient of variation (CV).

From part C: the standard deviation is 2.7392 and the coefficient of

variation is 3.04%. Usually in determine the precision of the method; the
coefficient value should falls below 5%. So in this case the Biuret method
that has been done is precise and can be used.

Conclusion:
From part A:
Sensitivity (the slope value) = 0.004357 (4.357 X 10-3)
The equation that have been made is y = 0.004357 (X) + c

From part B:
The detection limit is 13.1535 mg/ml

From part C:
The standard deviation is 2.7392 and the coefficient of
variation is 3.04%. This value falls below 5%, so it
shows that the Biuret method that has been made is
precise and can be use.

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