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Cotinine determination by immunoassays may be influenced by other nicotine metabolites

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Abstract

Polyclonal rabbit anticotinine antiserum, which can be used for biomonitoring nicotine uptake by the determination of cotinine in body fluids, was checked by a competitive ELISA for its cross-reactivity with nine nicotine metabolites. The highest percentage of relative crossreactivity (about 30%) was observed with trans-3′-hydroxycotinine, a metabolite which is known to be excreted in 3-fold higher amounts than cotinine in the urine of human smokers. Therefore, it is possible that cotinine determinations performed by immunochemical methods — especially in urine — may yield overestimated cotinine concentrations.

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  1. INBIFO Institut für biologische Forschung, Fuggerstrasse 3, D-5000, Köln 90, Federal Republik of Germany

    Georg Schepers & Rüdiger-Alexander Walk

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  1. Georg Schepers
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  2. Rüdiger-Alexander Walk
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Schepers, G., Walk, RA. Cotinine determination by immunoassays may be influenced by other nicotine metabolites. Arch Toxicol 62, 395–397 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00293630

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00293630

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