Determination of nucleic acids at nanogram levels with tetra-substituted amino aluminum phthalocyanine by a resonance light-scattering technique

This is the first report of the determination of nucleic acids at nanogram levels based on their enhanced effects on the resonance light scattering of TAAlPc at 400 nm. Under optimal conditions, the linear ranges of the calibration curves were 0—250 0 ng/mL for Calf thymus DNA(CT DNA), 0—200.0 ng/mL for Salmon sperm DNA(SM DNA) and 0—400 0 ng/mL for Yeast RNA. The detection limits were 1.4 ng/mL for both CT DNA and SM DNA, 2.7 ng/mL for Yeast RNA. The relative standard deviation for the determination of 100.0 ng/mL CT DNA was 2.1%. The measurement can be made easily on a common spectrofluorimeter. The reaction between TAAlPc and nucleic acids is completed in 2 min and the scattered light signal is stable for at least 1 h. The interference from some interesting co existing substances with the determination of DNA was also examined. The method was applied to the determination of DNA in golden staphylococcus DNA sample, and the results were satisfactory.