Which copper reduction method is most commonly used in glucose measurement?

Which copper reduction method is most commonly used in glucose measurement?

• A. Folin-Wu
• B. Nelson-Somogyi
• C. Neocuproine
• D. Benedict's (Folin Wu Modified)

Answer: (B)

Glucose is measured by a copper reduction reaction: the reducing sugar donates electrons to cupric ions in an alkaline reagent, forming cuprous ions. The amount of copper reduced correlates with glucose concentration, and a colorimetric step then quantifies that cuprous produced. Among the copper-based methods, the Nelson-Somogyi approach is the most widely used for glucose because it provides reliable, sensitive, and reproducible results with a well-established procedure and calibration. Benedict’s variant is an older, less sensitive version of the same principle, Folin-Wu is another copper-reduction method but not as commonly applied for routine glucose assays, and the neocuproine method uses a different color-detection chemistry that isn’t the standard for glucose measurement. So the method most commonly used in glucose measurement is the Nelson-Somogyi approach.

Glucose is measured by a copper reduction reaction: the reducing sugar donates electrons to cupric ions in an alkaline reagent, forming cuprous ions. The amount of copper reduced correlates with glucose concentration, and a colorimetric step then quantifies that cuprous produced. Among the copper-based methods, the Nelson-Somogyi approach is the most widely used for glucose because it provides reliable, sensitive, and reproducible results with a well-established procedure and calibration. Benedict’s variant is an older, less sensitive version of the same principle, Folin-Wu is another copper-reduction method but not as commonly applied for routine glucose assays, and the neocuproine method uses a different color-detection chemistry that isn’t the standard for glucose measurement. So the method most commonly used in glucose measurement is the Nelson-Somogyi approach.