A novel micromethod for the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay for endotoxin, based on hydrostatic pressure

Abstract

A micromethod for performing the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay for the presence of endotoxin is described which requires only about five percent of the standard amount of LAL reagent. The method is based upon measuring an increased amount of hydrostatic pressure required to cause a gelled LAL sample to flow from a capillary tube. The method is simple, rapid and correlates well with the results of the standard LAL assay procedure.