Colorimetric detection

Colorimetric detection is an analytical methodology used to identify or quantify substances based on visible color changes resulting from chemical or biochemical reactions (1). It is not a biological molecule, receptor, or therapeutic target, but rather a technique widely employed in laboratory diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and pharmaceutical research (2). In this process, a reagent or chromogen undergoes a spectral shift or intensity change upon interacting with a specific analyte, which can then be measured qualitatively by the naked eye or quantitatively using a spectrophotometer (1). Common applications include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), pH determination, and the measurement of specific metabolites like glucose or protein levels in clinical samples (3). Because it is a detection modality rather than a physiological entity, it does not possess intrinsic biological functions, disease-causing roles, or direct drug interactions (2).

Other names

ColorimetryColorimetric assayChromogenic detectionColorimetric analysis