Direct determination of formate concentrations in biological (e.g. urine, blood, etc.) and other samples.
- Linear detection range 0.050 to 5 mM Formate.
- Convenient room temperature assay. No 37°C heater is needed.
- "Add-mix-read" type high-throughput assay.
- Method: OD565 nm.
- Samples: Urine, Serum etc.
FORMATE (HCOO-) is the anion derived from formic acid, the simplest carboxylic acid. It is also the metabolic byproduct of formaldehyde metabolism in our body, and the eventual metabolic byproduct of methanol which is first broken down to formaldehyde. At high levels, formate is neurotoxic to the central nervous system and can cause blindness, coma, and death. Although naturally present in the body at low levels, elevated levels of formate may be used as an indicator of formaldehyde exposure and methanol poisoning. BioAssay Systems formate assay kit is based on formate dehydrogenase catalyzed oxidation of formate, which generates carbon dioxide and NADH that reduces a formazan (MTT) dye. The intensity of the reduced MTT, measured at 565 nm, is directly proportional to formate concentration in the sample.