Oxidation and estimation of bilirubin by using carbon microelectrode

Bilirubin is one of the major bile pigment, clinically and biologically imp ortant among the bile pigments present in the mammals. When the concentrati on of bilirubin exceeds the allowable limit, it leads to a number of disord ers and ailments in the human beings Including jaundice. Bilirubin is prese nt in the reduced form which is highly toxic whereas its oxidised form bili verdin is nontoxic. Hence the oxidation and estimation of bilirubin is esse ntial in the clinical arena. A differential pulse voltammetric method has b een recommended for the estimation of bilirubin with a bare carbon microele ctrode in the aqueous medium and indirect oxidation of bilirubin to biliver din. The oxidation has been carried out using in situ electrogenerated hydr ogen peroxide produced from the continuous reduction of oxygen at its reduc tion potential. Estimation of bilirubin has been done using its reduction p eak observed at around -1.1 V. The kinetic studies of indirect oxidation of bilirubin has been followed spectrophotometrically in the visible region.