IMPROVED METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF RNA AND DNA

Nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) can be separated from extraneous materials by precipitation as their cadmium salts. This separation substantially improves the reliability of subsequent determinations of RNA by the orcinol method and of DNA by the diphenylamine method. In addition, color formation in the orcinol reaction is stabilized by addition of n-butanol to the reaction mixture, thereby improving the precision of the method. © 1969.