The Albanese Lein colorimetric method is used to measure which analyte?

• A. Sodium
• B. Potassium
• C. Chloride
• D. Calcium

Answer: (A)

The Albanese Lein colorimetric method is designed to quantify sodium by a color-changing reaction that specifically involves sodium ions. In this approach, the sample is treated with a reagent that interacts with Na+ to form a colored complex, and the intensity of that color, read by a spectrophotometer, is proportional to the sodium concentration. This makes it a straightforward way to measure sodium in various samples, especially in older or resource-limited settings where electrode-based methods aren’t available. Other items in the list rely on different chemistries or instruments (for example, calcium is typically measured with arsenazo or cresolphthalein reactions, chloride by titration or enzymatic methods, potassium largely by flame photometry or ion-selective techniques), so the colorimetric Albanese Lein approach is specifically appropriate for sodium.