Comparison of the recovery of inorganic iodide by paper electrophoresis or chromatography.

Abstract

Recovery of carrier-free 131I- was compared after paper electrophoresis or chromatography in 3 systems: butanol-acetic acid-water (BAW), butanol-ethanol-ammonia (BEA) and butanol-dioxane-ammonia (BDA). Slightly less 131I- was recovered with any of the 3 chromatographic systems than with electrophoresis. This was caused both by spread of the 131I- on the paper and loss by evaporation. Approximately 5% of the 131I- was lost by evaporation in any of the 3 chromatography systems. If 127I-, serum or thyroid homogenate was added to the carrier-free 131I-, recovery was very similar with electrophoresis and any of the chromatography systems, but always slightly better with electrophoresis. It is concluded that paper chromatography with any of the 3 systems used is satisfactory for the quantitative determination of 131I- in thyroid homogenates or serum, but care must be taken to dry undigested homogenate for only very short periods before placing the paper strips in the developing tanks. Deiodination of thyroid ho...