Application

Ninhydrin reagents can be used in thin layer chromatography (TLC). Ninhydrin reagents have been used to develop and validate a simple, selective, and precise densitometric method for analysis of α-aminocephalosporins, both in bulk drugs and in formulations. Ninhydrin reagents have also been used to observe differences in the reference ranges of several plasma and urine amino acids between Singaporean and Caucasian populations.

Ninhydrin reagent has been used to confirm the presence of the amino acid moieties in various reactions.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Ninhydrin is a tricyclic 1,2,3-trione, which functions as an amino acid reagent. Itis a vital organic building block, which exposes latent fingerprints on porous surfaces like paper, cardboard and raw wood. Ninhydrin is used to detect primary and secondary amines. It gives a strong blue color with primary amines and a less intense brown-red color with secondary amine.

Caution

Store under nitrogen in the refrigerator after use

Other Notes

Ninhydrin and hydrindantin in DMSO and lithium acetate buffer, pH 5.2