A new procedure for the monitoring of cationic detergents in solution

The paper describes a new procedure for the selective monitoring of cationi c surfactants in solution. The procedure is based on the fact that cationic surfactants are accumulated inside mitochondria by a potential-driven mech anism. Once inside, the surfactant induces the release of the dye Safranine , previously accumulated inside mitochondria. Therefore the monitoring cons ists of a direct spectrophotometric measure of the rate of release of safra nine in the resuspending medium containing the cationic surfactant.