Based on spectrophotometric measurement of cyanide derivative of hemoglobin.
Protocol includes:
Blood is mixed with a solution containing potassium cyanide and potassium ferricyanide (Drabkin’s solution). The red blood cells are lysed, producing an evenly disturbed hemoglobin solution. Potassium ferricyanide transforms hemoglobin into methemoglobin, and methemoglobin combines with potassium cyanide to produce hemiglobincyanide (cyanmethemoglobin). Cyanmethemoglobin has a peak absorbance at 540 nm and is measured photometrically. The absorbance is compared with that of the standard hemiglobincyanide solution by using a formula to obtain the amount of hemoglobin.