SPECTROPHOTOMETRY OF HEMOGLOBIN - ABSORPTION-SPECTRA OF RAT OXYHEMOGLOBIN, DEOXYHEMOGLOBIN, CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN, AND METHEMOGLOBIN

The absorptivity at 540 nm of methemoglobincyanide from rat blood was determined on the basis of iron and found to be equal to the establish ed value for human methemoglobincyanide (11,01/mmol/cm). On this basis the absorption spectra of the common derivatives were determined for rat hemoglobin. Preparation of clear, concentrated solutions of the pu re hemoglobin species was hampered by the low solubility and the tende ncy to spontaneous methemoglobin formation of rat hemoglobin. As for t he wavelengths of maximum and minimum absorption there was little diff erence between rat and man. As for the absorptivities there were signi ficant differences, especially in the methemoglobin spectrum. These di fferences should be taken into account in spectrophotometric multicomp onent analysis.