A simple method for the direct measurement of arginine in 40 μL of serum is described. The technique is rapid (22 samples within 10 minutes), inexpensive (reagent cost: £0–03 per test), accurate and relatively precise. The limit of detection is 1 mmol/L: it is therefore not suitable for normal basal arginine concentrations, but can be used when arginine concentrations are known to be raised.
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