Colorimetric determination of polyamidoamine dendrimers and their derivates using a simple and rapid ninhydrin assay

A simple, accurate and rapid colorimetric method using ninhydrin reagent was developed for the determination of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (G4, G5, and G6) and their derivates in aqueous medium. This method was based on the interaction of the primary amino group of PAMAM dendrimers with ninhydrin reagent to form a blue-colored product with λmax at 570 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 25-200 μg/ml of all the three investigated PAMAM dendrimers. The effects of experimental parameters such as reagent concentration and reaction time were studied to optimize the colorimetric method. Accuracy and precision of the colorimetric method were assessed by statistical analysis. Acetylated G5 PAMAM dendrimers with various acetylated rates were simultaneously measured by the described ninhydrin assay and NMR studies and the data obtained by the two methods approximately accorded with each other. Results showed that the suggested procedures were suitable for the determination of PAMAM dendrimers and their derivates in aqueous solutions with satisfactory accuracy and precision.