Relative quantitative assay statistical methods

The quantitation of enzymes and substrates has long been of critical importance in clinical chemistry, since metabolic levels of a variety of species are known to be associated with certain disease states. Enzymatic methods may be used in complex matrices, such as serum or urine, due to the high selectivity of enzymes for their natural substrates. Because of this selectivity, enzymatic assays are also used in chemical and biochemical research. This chapter considers quantitative experimental methods, the biochemical species that is being measured, how the measurement is made, and how experimental data relate to concentration. This chapter assumes familiarity with the principles of spectroscopic (absorbance, fluorescence, chemi-and bioluminescence, nephelometry, and turbidimetry), electrochemical (poten-tiometry and amperometry), calorimetry, and radiochemical methods. For an excellent coverage of these topics, the student is referred to Daniel C. Harris, Quantitative Chemical Analysis (6th ed.). In addition, statistical terms and methods, such as detection limit, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), sensitivity, relative standard deviation (RSD), and linear regression are assumed familiar Chapter 16 in this volume discusses statistical parameters. 

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