Nephelometry; MLT 1022

1. Joy Odia and Anneka Pierzga
College of Southern Maryland
Introduction to Nephelometry

2. › Measures the amount of light scattered by particles
suspended in a solution (usually a liquid)
Purpose

3. › Based on the principle of turbidity
– Light is scattered by small particles in the solution
› Nephelometry
– Degree of light scattering
Principle

4. › Factors that affect nephelometry
– Particle size and concentration
› Nephelometry preferred for small particles in low concentration
– Distance of light source
– Wavelength of light source
Principle

5. Principle
(Lawler, 2005)

6. › Clinically, it is used to determine concentrations of
immunoglobins and serum proteins (ex. IgG, IgA, Albumin) in
serum and other biological samples.
Application

7. › It can also be used for therapeutic drug level monitoring in
blood samples
Application
(GMI, 2015)

8. Al-Mughales, J. A. (2015). Immunodiagnostic Significance of Anti-RA33 Autoantibodies in Saudi Patients
with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Journal of Immunology Research, 2015, 1-6.
Creveling, R. L., Deaton, C. D., Maxwell, K. W., & Smith, R. S. (1976). Use of Laser Nephelometry in the
Measurment of Serum Proteins. Clinical Chemistry, 22(9), 1465-1471.
Dye, J. A., Finley, P. R., LIchtI, D. A., & Williams, R. J. (1981). Rate-Nephelometric Inhibition Immunoassay
of Phenytoin and Phenobarbital. Clinical Chemistry, 27(3), 405-409.
GMI. (2015). Beckman Coulter IMMAGE Immunochemistry System. Retrieved from http://www.gmi-
inc.com/beckman-coulter-immage-immunochemistry-system.html
Hestridge, B., & Reynolds, A. P. (2012a). Nephelometry Basic Clinical Laboratory Techniques (6th ed., pp.
443-444): Cengage Learning.
Hestridge, B., & Reynolds, A. P. (2012b). Nephelometry and Turbidity Basic Clinical Laboratory
Techniques (6th ed., pp. 625-626): Cengage.
Khouja, H. Turbidimetry and Nephelometry. King Abdulaziz University.
Koivunen, M. E., & Krogsrud, R. L. (2006). Principles of Immunochemical Techniques Used in Clinical
Laboratories. LabMedicine, 37(8), 490-493.
Lawler, D. M. (2005). Spectrophotometry: Turbidity and Nephelometry. In C. F. Poole, Townshend, A.
and Worsfold, P.J. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Analytical Science (2nd ed., pp. 343-351): Elsevier.
Morais, I. P. A., Rangel, A. O. S. S., & Tóth, I. V. (2006). Turbidimetric and Nephelometric Flow Analysis:
Concepts and Applications. Spectroscopy Letters: An International Journal for Rapid
Communication, 39(6), 547-579.
Neele, W. E., & Sung, E. (1985). A Cost-Effective System for Performing Therapeutic Drug Assays I.
Optimization of the Theophylline Assay. Clinical Chemistry, 31(7), 1210-1215.
Turgeon, M. L. (2015). Nephelometry Linné & Ringsrud's Clinical Laboratory Science: Concepts,
Procedures, and Clinical Applications (7th ed., pp. 187-188): Elsevier.
References