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a Author for correspondence. Fax 61-2-62495773; e-mail Howard.Bradbury{at}anu.edu.au
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Abstract |
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 Top Abstract IntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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Methods: The method was based on the quantitative oxidation of thiocyanate in acid permanganate at room temperature in a closed vial with liberation of HCN, which reacted with a picrate paper. For semiquantitative analysis in the field, the colored picrate paper was matched with a color chart prepared using known amounts of KSCN. In the laboratory, a more accurate result was obtained by elution of the colored complex in water and measurement of the absorbance at 510 nm. Over the range 0–100 mg/L, there was a linear relationship given by the equation: thiocyanate content (mg/L) = 78 x absorbance.
Results: The picrate thiocyanate method gave no interference with urine samples containing protein at less than 7 g/L, 21 amino acids, histamine, glucose, NaCl, urea, blood, and linamarin. For 53 urine samples analyzed by an accurate column method and the thiocyanate picrate method, a regression line gave very good agreement (r2 = 1.000). Quantitative recoveries of thiocyanate added to urine samples were obtained with the picrate method.
Conclusions: A simple picrate kit for determination of thiocyanate in urine was developed and is available free of charge for workers in developing countries.
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Introduction |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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Until recently, in developing countries it was difficult to measure the cyanogen content of cassava roots or products because of various problems associated with the use of accurate methods of analysis. However, a simple, semiquantitative method has now been produced in a readily available kit form to determine cyanogens in cassava roots and products (5)(6). This allows the routine monitoring of cyanogen content of cassava roots and products in developing countries, which can show the likely extent of any cyanogen overload in the food sources of the people.
Because cyanide is converted in the body to thiocyanate, determination of the thiocyanate content of the urine (7)(8)(9) can be used to check cyanogen overload of the population related to the intake of cassava roots and products. The conversion of cyanide to thiocyanate in the body is catalyzed by the enzyme rhodanese and uses sulfur that originates from the essential amino acids methionine and cystine, which further reduces the essential amino acid content of a diet that may already be marginal in protein intake (7)(10). An accurate method is available for the determination of thiocyanate in urine (11); however, as with the determination of cyanogens in cassava roots and products (see above), this method is not readily used in developing countries because it is difficult and requires somewhat expensive chemicals, resin, and equipment.
For the above reasons, it would be useful to develop a simple semiquantitative kit method for the determination of thiocyanate in urine, which could be used to help monitor cyanogen overload in people and perhaps predict the possible onset of a condition called konzo, which is an irreversible paralysis of the legs (8)(12). Here we report the development of a simple kit method for the measurement of thiocyanate in urine, based on its quantitative oxidation with permanganate to sulfate and cyanide (13), which is then determined by the picrate method (5).
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Materials and Methods |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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reagents
Samples of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN, AR grade; Mallinkrodt),
potassium permanganate (KMnO4, Analar
grade; BDH Chemicals), potassium dichromate
(K2Cr2O7,
Analar grade, BDH), ceric sulfate
[Ce(SO4)2; Ajax
Chemicals], linamarin (Sigma Chemical), and bovine serum albumin
(Nutritional Biochemical) were used. The amino acids and histamine were
from the following suppliers: alanine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine,
methionine, and serine were from BDH; arginine, aspartic acid,
cysteine, cystine, glutamic acid, hydroxyproline, lysine,
phenylalanine, proline, tyrosine, and valine were from Nutritional
Biochemical; histamine and tryptophan were from Fluka; glycine and
histidine were Sigma; and asparagine was from Ajax. Multistix 10 SG
reagent strips for urinalysis were obtained from Baeyer
Australia. Sodium perchlorate (Analar grade; BDH), sodium hypochlorite
solution (125 g/L, technical grade; APS Ajax Fine Chemicals),
isonicotinic acid (Sigma), 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid (Fluka), and
AG3-X4 anion-exchange resin (100–200 mesh, free base; Bio-Rad
Laboratories) were used in the column method (11).
oxidation of thiocyanate to cyanide and determination with picrate
paper
In preliminary experiments, KSCN solution was reacted with
KMnO4,
K2Cr2O7,
or Ce(SO4)2 in dilute
H2SO4 in the presence and
absence of urine (1 mL) in a 25 x 50 mm, flat-bottomed
polystyrene vial with a polyethylene screw cap (Techno Plas). A
30 x 10 mm picrate paper, attached to a plastic strip with hobby
glue (6), was immediately added to the vial, and the vial
was closed with a screw cap. After incubation at 30 °C for 3–16 h,
the vial was opened and the plastic strip separated from the picrate
paper. The paper was eluted for ~30 min in 5.0 mL of water with
occasional stirring, and the absorbance of the solution was
measured at 510 nm in a spectrophotometer against a blank solution
prepared from an unchanged picrate paper similarly eluted. The HCN
liberated from the KSCN was calculated by the equation:
HCN content (µg) from KSCN = 39.6 x Absorbance (1)
which was obtained from Eq. 3 of Ref. (6).
In later experiments, 1.0 mL of urine was placed in a plastic vial, 0.1 mL of H2SO4 (1 or 2 mol/L), and 0.1 mL of KMnO4 solution (0.1–0.5 mol/L) was added. Various additives, including known amounts of thiocyanate and possible constituents of urine (sodium chloride, glucose, amino acids, bovine serum albumin, linamarin, and blood) (15), were added. A picrate paper was placed in the vial, which was then closed, and the absorbance was measured according to the method described above.
A calibration curve for thiocyanate was prepared using AR-grade KSCN
dried to a constant weight at 60 °C. Using an adjustable
micropipette, we added accurately known amounts of KSCN solution (1 g
SCN-/L) in duplicate to water to make a total
volume of 1 mL, and then added 0.1 mL of 1 mol/L
H2SO4 and 0.1 mL of 0.1
mol/L KMnO4. A picrate paper was immediately
placed in the vial, which was then closed. After incubation at 30 °C
for 16 h, the picrate papers were eluted in water and the
absorbance of the solutions were determined as described above. The
absorbances obtained at each thiocyanate value (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60,
80, and 100 µg) were averaged. The calibration curve shown in Fig. 1
is linear (r2 = 0.999) over
the range of concentrations from 0 to 100 mg/L and is described by the
equation:
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Thiocyanate (mg SCN-/L urine) = 78 x Absorbance (2)
column method for determination of thiocyanate
The general procedure used by Lundquist et al. (11) was
followed with several changes. Urine (0.5 mL) was diluted with 5 mL of
0.1 mol/L NaOH and applied to a Bio-Rad AG3-X4 anion-exchange
Econo-column (2.5 x 0.7 cm), which retained the thiocyanate.
Other soluble constituents of urine were removed by washing with water.
The thiocyanate was displaced from the column with 8 mL of 1.0 mol/L
sodium perchlorate. Acetic acid (0.3 mL of a 0.5 mol/L solution) was
added to a 4-mL aliquot of column eluate. The subsequent methodology
followed the published procedure (11).
Using the stock solution of KSCN containing 1 g
SCN-/L (see above), we added duplicate amounts
of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 µg SCN-
to 0.5 mL of water. These solutions were used instead of the 0.5-mL
urine sample (see above). A calibration curve was produced, and over
the linear range, this curve agreed within experimental error with that
shown in Fig. 5 of Lundquist et al. (11). A linear
calibration curve (r2 = 1.000) using
our data was described by the equation:
 | (3) |
Because a 0.5-mL urine sample was used, the amount of thiocyanate
in 1 mL of urine is equal to twice the value given by Eq. 3
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Results |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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The reaction between permanganate and thiocyanate in H2SO4, 6 MnO4- + 5 SCN- + 13 H+ = 6 Mn2+ + 5 HCN + 5 SO42- + 4 H2O, is very rapid and complete in acidified urine. In the absence of urine, the magenta color from the excess permanganate is retained for the time of the experiment (3–16 h); when urine is present, however, the magenta color disappears in 0.5–3 min because the permanganate reacts with an unknown reducing agent present in the urine. Clearly, the very rapid and quantitative reaction between permanganate and thiocyanate in acidified urine (13) supports its use. An attempt to immobilize the permanganate in a 21-mm diameter Whatman 3MM filter paper disc failed because there was a slow loss of the magenta color on drying and deposition of brown manganese dioxide. The brown filter paper gave low HCN evolution in acidified urine solutions to which known amounts of thiocyanate had been added.
choice of conditions for reaction of thiocyanate with permanganate
The results from duplicate experiments on six different urine
samples in which the concentrations of
H2SO4 (0.5, 1, or 2 mol/L)
and permanganate (0.1–0.5 mol/L) and the reaction time (3–16 h) were
varied are shown in Table 1
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Accurate thiocyanate results were obtained by duplicate experiments using the column method. The optimal H2SO4 concentration in the 0.1 mL added was 1.0 mol/L. In some samples of urine (e.g., sample 1), KMnO4 solution (0.1 mL) at higher concentrations gave falsely increased results. In all urine samples, 0.1 mL of a 0.1 mol/L KMnO4 solution gave good results. Short reaction times (3 and 6 h) were found to give low results for thiocyanate in some cases, whereas 16 h always gave good results. To check the results at higher thiocyanate concentrations, we added 5–100 mg SCN-/L urine to sample 6. The method gave a good correlation throughout the range with that expected when the sum of amount of thiocyanate in the urine (1.3 µg) and the added amount was used. Thus, the standard reaction conditions chosen were 1 mL of urine + 0.1 mL of 1 mol/L H2SO4 + 0.1 mL of 0.1 mol/L KMnO4 reacted for 16 h at 30 °C in a closed vial using a picrate paper.
effects of potential interferents
In confirmation of earlier work (13), we found that
some amino acids reacted slowly with the permanganate, producing
cyanide. However, in the presence of 1 mL of urine, the permanganate
magenta color disappeared in 0.5–3 min because permanganate
reacts with a reducing agent present in the urine (see above).
Under these conditions, there was no appreciable reaction of the 21
amino acids and histamine (0.2–2 mg of each used in the tests) with
permanganate in acid solution to produce HCN. Three different samples
of urine gave zero production of cyanide in every case. The amounts of
each amino acid used greatly exceeded the concentrations found in urine
(15), hence there is clearly no interference attributable to
the presence of amino acids in urine samples.
Bovine serum albumin was added to four urine samples at concentrations of 20, 3, 1, and 0.3 g/L. These solutions matched well the colors obtained using the dipsticks for protein in urine (Multistix 10 SG reagent strips). Duplicate samples of urine (1 mL) containing 0, 0.3, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 20 g/L bovine serum albumin were analyzed for thiocyanate using the standard reaction conditions (see above). With all four urine samples, there was no change in the HCN content with protein concentrations of 0, 0.3, 1, 3, and 5 g/L. At 7 g/L protein, there was a slight decrease (0–10%), which became progressively larger at 10 and 20 g/L protein and was 25–40% at 20 g/L. Protein concentrations in urine usually are very much less than 5 g/L (15); thus it is most unlikely that the picrate method would be affected by protein present in urine.
Blood collected from the index finger of two persons was immediately mixed into two different urine samples, and its concentration was adjusted by dilution with urine to correspond to the values of 200, 80, 25, trace, and negative obtained by color matching using the Multistix 10 SG reagent strips. Duplicate 1-mL samples of urine containing blood concentrations giving reagent strip values of 0, trace, 25, 80, and 200 were then set up and analyzed for thiocyanate using the standard reaction conditions. The HCN liberated was the same in each urine sample at all amounts of blood added for both of the urine samples. Clearly, the picrate method is not affected by the presence of blood in the urine.
Sodium chloride (10 mg), glucose (20 mg), and urea (50 mg) were added separately to 1-mL urine samples, and these were reacted using the standard reaction conditions. Known amounts of thiocyanate were also added to urine samples. In all cases, there were no changes in the thiocyanate content of the urine solutions attributable to the presence of sodium chloride, glucose, or urea.
Linamarin (0, 1, 5, and 50 mg/L) was added to urine. Duplicate analyses for thiocyanate showed that there was no change in the thiocyanate content for any of the samples to which linamarin had been added. Linamarin added to two other samples of urine gave similar results, which showed that the thiocyanate determination is not affected by the presence of linamarin in the urine, which occurs in cassava-eating populations (9). Because it has been proposed that ingested linamarin may be toxic (9), it is important to check whether linamarin added to urine could be estimated satisfactorily in the presence of thiocyanate. To 0.5 mL of urine, buffered at pH 8, 40 µg of linamarin and different amounts of linamarase were added, followed by a picrate paper. After incubation for 16 h at 30 °C, the picrate paper was removed, the color eluted, and the absorbance measured at 510 nm (5)(6). Using six different samples of urine, we found that the amount of linamarase used must be approximately threefold higher than the amount of linimarase used with cassava present to obtain complete hydrolysis of linamarin and quantitative recovery of HCN. Presumably, there is some constituent in the urine that partially deactivates the enzyme linamarase, but this is overcome by using at least three times the usual amount of linamarase (5)(6).
comparison of picrate and column methods
Forty-two different urine samples obtained in Canberra were
analyzed for thiocyanate by the picrate method and by the accurate
column method. To cover the full range of thiocyanate content (0–100
mg/L) that is obtained in urine samples from cassava-eating
populations, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, and (in one case) 100 mg/L
thiocyanate was added to four different urine samples. These urine
samples were then analyzed in duplicate by the picrate and in many
cases by the accurate column methods. For the four urine samples, the
mean (SD) recoveries of thiocyanate from the addition of 5, 10,
20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/L were 104% (4%), 105% (6%), 103% (2%),
105% (2%), 103% (2%), and 103% (2%), respectively. A regression
line of the thiocyanate content obtained with the picrate method
plotted against the thiocyanate content obtained with the accurate
column method for 53 samples (which included the 42 samples above) is
shown in Fig. 2
. There is a very good correlation between the results from both
methods with r2 = 1.000 and a slope of
1.05.
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stability of thiocyanate in urine
We have confirmed previous work (11) that indicated
that thiocyanate is stable in urine for at least 6 months at
-20 °C. To check the stability of thiocyanate in urine at different
temperatures, two urine samples containing 0, 10, and 50 mg/L of added
thiocyanate were used. These samples were stored at 4 °C, room
temperature (20–25 °C), and 30 °C, and samples were analyzed in
duplicate for thiocyanate using the picrate method at periods of 0, 7,
and 14 days. No change had occurred after 7 days, but after 14 days at
30 °C, the thiocyanate content of one sample of urine had decreased
by ~10% and the other by ~65%. The thiocyanate content of one
sample stored at room temperature had decreased by 7% after 14 days,
but the other sample was stable. There were no changes in thiocyanate
content of any samples stored at 4 °C over 14 days. Clearly, the
thiocyanate content of urine samples is constant for at least 7 days at
20–30 °C, at least 14 days at 4 °C, and at least 6 months at
-20 °C.
comparison of color chart with absorbance measurement method using
picrate kit
A color chart was prepared by exposing freshly prepared Whatman
3MM, 30 x 10 mm picrate papers to HCN liberated from the
oxidation of known amounts of thiocyanate by excess permanganate, using
the treatments described above. The papers that contained 0, 1, 2, 4,
6, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 100 mg/L were aligned on a chart. The colors of
the 30 x 10 mm papers were matched using computer technology to
give a permanent color chart record with 10 different colors over the
whole range. A direct comparison was made between the results obtained
with the simple color chart method and the absorbance measurement for a
urine sample to which 10 concentrations of thiocyanate from 1 to 80
mg/L had been added. Duplicate analyses were made at each
concentration, and these were scored using the simple color chart by
two independent observers. The mean deviation between the two methods
was 11%. One urine sample with added thiocyanate was analyzed by
measuring the absorbance over 10 identical samples; the mean
(SD) result was 11.0 (0.12) mg/L.
development of a thiocyanate picrate kit method
To 1.0 mL of urine in a plastic, flat-bottomed vial, we added 0.1
mL of 1 mol/L H2SO4 and 0.1
mL of 0.13 mol/L KMnO4 (prepared by dissolving
100 mg of KMnO4, weighed out using a small
portable balance, in 5.0 mL of water). A 30 x 10 mm picrate
paper, attached to a 50 x 10 mm plastic strip with hobby glue,
was added to the vial, which was then closed. Another sample was
prepared as above but with no urine to serve as a blank. As a control
to check the method, a 21-mm Whatman filter paper previously loaded
with 4 or 40 µg of thiocyanate was placed in a vial, 1 mL of water
was added, and acid, permanganate, and a picrate paper were added as
above. The three closed vials were left at room temperature
(20–37 °C) overnight. The vials were opened, and the colors of the
papers were matched against the color chart. The color of the
blank should correspond to zero on the chart, and the controls should
correspond to 4 or 40 mg/L.
To obtain a more accurate result, the plastic strip was removed from the picrate paper, which was immersed in 5.0 mL of water for about 30 min. The absorbance of the solution was measured at 510 nm against the blank yellow solution. The thiocyanate content in milligrams per liter was calculated by Eq. 2. There should be reasonable agreement between the semiquantitative color chart result and the more accurate result for both the urine sample and the control.
components of kit for thiocyanate picrate determination
A kit containing the following components was prepared:
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Discussion |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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The picrate method and a column method were compared using 53 urine
samples, and a very good regression line was obtained (see Fig. 2
). To
evaluate the use of the method in the field, we measured the stability
of urine on storage at different temperatures and produced a color
chart with 10 shades of color to allow visual comparison of colors.
Satisfactory agreement was found between the simple visual comparison
and the more accurate measurement of absorbance. This analysis served
as the basis for the development of a thiocyanate picrate kit method.
The detailed methodology used in the kit is described above, together
with the components needed for its operation.
These kits are available free to health workers in developing countries, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and can be obtained by writing to Dr. J Howard Bradbury.
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Acknowledgments |
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Footnotes |
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References |
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TopAbstractIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsDiscussionReferences |
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The following articles in journals at HighWire Press have cited this article:
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