The calculation for this assay is based on Beer Lambert's law (Beer's law): ΔA= εbC
ΔA is the difference in absorbance at 500 nm after addition of Biotin or biotin derivatives to the sample.
ε is the absorptivity or extinction coefficient at the wavelength (λ).
For HABA-Avidin samples at pH 7.0, the extinction coefficient at 500 nm is equal to 34,000 M-1 cm-1.
b is the cell path length expressed in centimeters (cm). A 10 mm-equivalent absorbance at 500 nm has a path length of 1.0 cm in Nanodrop 2000.
C is the concentration of biotin in the sample expressed in molarity (= mol/L = mmol/mL).
Absorbance at 500 nm for (HABA-avidin) reaction or (HABA-MAV) mixture= A1
Absorbance at 500 nm for (HABA-avidin) + (biotin) reaction mixture or (HABA-MAV) + (biotin) mixture= A2
Molar concentration of bound biotin (C) / Molar concentration of original protein (MAV or Avidin)
If 10 µM Avidin is mixed with 80 µM HABA to obtain an absorbance at 500 nm, A1= 1.298, and an unknown concentration of biotin was added to the complex and absorbance at 500 nm was measured as, A2= 0.04
C= (0.000037 x 1000000) µM = 37 µM
Ratio of µmoles of biotin per µmole of Avidin= 37 µM/10 µM Avidin
µmoles of biotin per µmole of Avidin= 3.7