The Adamkiewicz reaction is part of a biochemical test used to detect the presence of the amino acid tryptophan in proteins. When concentrated sulfuric acid is combined with a solution of protein and glyoxylic acid, a red/purple colour is produced. It was named after its discoverer, Albert Wojciech Adamkiewicz.[1][2] Pure sulfuric acid and a minimal amount of pure formaldehyde, along with an oxidizing agent introduced into the sulfuric acid, allow the reaction to proceed. [3]

References

  1. ^ Fearon, Robert William (October 1920). "A Study of some Biochemical Tests. No. 2: The Adamkiewicz Protein Reaction. The Mechanism of the Hopkins-Cole Test for Tryptophan. A New Colour Test for Glyoxylic Acid". Biochem. J. 14 (5): 548–564. doi:10.1042/bj0140548. PMC 1258917. PMID 16742909.
  2. ^ Manjila, Sunil; et al. (January 2009). "Albert Wojciech Adamkiewicz (1850–1921): unsung hero behind the eponymic artery". Neurosurg Focus. 26 (1): E2. doi:10.3171/FOC.2009.26.1.E2. PMID 19119888.
  3. ^ "The Glyoxylic Acid Reaction for Tryptophan, Indol, and Skatol" (PDF). www.jbc.org. Retrieved 2018-12-11.