Abstract

A novel apparatus called a quartz chemical analyzer (QCA) has been developed using a quartz crystal resonator. This apparatus measures sample viscosity changes based on resonant frequency changes of the quartz crystal. The apparatus was used to determine bacterial endotoxin concentrations by monitoring the gelation reaction of Limulus amebocyte lysate. The QCA determined endotoxin concentrations with good accuracy and reproducibility in the range of 0.001-3 EU/ml for endotoxin standard (JP XII). For endotoxin determination in human whole blood and plasma samples, the inhibitory reaction was eliminated by pretreatment of a fourfold dilution at 60 degrees C and incubation for 30 min. There are many advantages of the QCA method compared with the turbidimetric and chromogenic methods. For example, QCA can measure sample viscosity changes with high sensitivity and accuracy because QCA detects minor resonant frequency changes and the frequency data give a numerical value for easy quantitation. QCA can examine turbid samples, and the required quantities of samples and reagents are small, since the quartz crystal detects sample viscosity changes directly. The endotoxin determination time may be shortened by raising the reaction temperature, and QCA can detect other types of coagulation reactions.