A survey of the available colorimetric indicators for Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions in biological experiments.

The binding of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions to commercially available and easily synthesizable metallochromic indicators has been systematically examined at pH 7.35, temperature 37 degrees C, ionic strength 0.16, the conditions of blood plasma. The pCa and pMg midpoints of the colour changes of all the useful indicators are reported. In addition to the well-known indicators arsenzazo III, chlorophosphonazo III, antipyrylazo III, and murexide for Ca2+, and Eriochrome Black T and Eriochrome Blue SE for Mg2+, we draw attention to the values of oxyacetazo I, carboxyazo III, tropolone, methylthymol blue, Mordant Black 32, and the tetracyclines.