Sahli's Acid Hematin Method

Sahli's Acid Hematin Method

Principle- The hydrochloric acid in the acid hematin solution converts the hemoglobin into acid hematin and the value is determined by matching with the color comparator

Article needed are:

• Pipette, marked at the 20 mm level
• Stirring rod
• Color comparator
• 0.1N Hydrochloric Acid Solution- Add 1 ml of concentrated HCL to 99 ml of distilled water
• Graduated tube with scale on two sides, percentage scale reads from 0 to 170 and gram scale reads from 0 to 24.
• Distilled water

Procedure

1. Pour 5 drops of 0.1N HCL solution in graduated tube.
2. Wear gloves and aspirate the blood from the finger tip with pipette up to 20 mm mark .
3. Pour blood into graduated tube and note the time.
4. Shake the tube well and add distilled water drop by drop until the color of the solution matches the color comparator. Stir it well using stirring rod.
5. After five minutes, read the result from the scale by noting the lower edge of the meniscus.
6. Finding are reported in gm per 100 ml of whole blood

Normal Values

Male- 14-16 gm/ 100 ml of whole blood

Female- 12-14 gm/100 ml of whole blood