The Van Slyke determination is a

chemical test In chemistry, a chemical test is a qualitative or quantitative procedure designed to identify, quantify, or characterise a chemical compound or chemical group. Purposes Chemical testing might have a variety of purposes, such as to: * Determin ...

for the determination of

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha a ...

s containing a primary

amine In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element wi ...

group. It is named after the biochemist

Donald Dexter Van Slyke Donald Dexter Van Slyke (March 29, 1883 – May 4, 1971) was a Dutch American biochemist. His achievements included the publication of 317 journal articles and 5 books, as well as numerous awards, among them the National Medal of Science and t ...

(1883-1971). One of Van Slyke's first professional achievements was the quantification of amino acids by the Van Slyke determination reaction. To quantify aliphatic amino acids, the sample is diluted in

glycerol Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...

and then treated with a solution of

sodium nitrite Sodium nitrite is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaNO2. It is a white to slightly yellowish crystalline powder that is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic. From an industrial perspective, it is the most important nitrite ...

, water and acetic acid. The resulting diazotisation reaction produces

nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...

gas which can be observed qualitatively or measured quantitatively. Van Slyke Reaction: R-NH2 + HONO -> ROH + N2 + H2O In addition, Van Slyke developed the so-called Van Slyke apparatus, which can be used to determine the concentration of

respiratory The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies gre ...

gases in the

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the cir ...

, especially the concentration of sodium bicarbonate. This was of high importance to be able to recognize a beginning

acidosis Acidosis is a process causing increased acidity in the blood and other body tissues (i.e., an increase in hydrogen ion concentration). If not further qualified, it usually refers to acidity of the blood plasma. The term ''acidemia'' describes ...

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

patients as early as possible, in order to start alkali treatment. The Van Slyke apparatus became a standard equipment in clinical laboratories around the world and the results of Van Slyke's research are still used today to determine abnormalities in the acid-base homeostasis. Later on, Van Slyke further improved his apparatus, increasing its accuracy and sensitivity. Using the new method, he was able to further investigate the role of gas and electrolyte equilibria in the blood and how they change in response to

respiration Respiration may refer to: Biology * Cellular respiration, the process in which nutrients are converted into useful energy in a cell ** Anaerobic respiration, cellular respiration without oxygen ** Maintenance respiration, the amount of cellul ...

References

External links

Van Slyke reaction mechanism scheme

Modified Van Slyke Method for Determination of Aliphatic Amino Groups

The Measurement of Blood Gases and the Manometric Techniques developed by Donald Dexter Van Slyke
Chemical tests {{chem-stub