Vitamin B12 as a trace element belongs to the biologically important chelate formers. The basic unit
consists of a corrin ring with cobalt as a central atom. Cobalt is sixfold coordinated by four nitrogen
atoms, one cyanide and a dimethylbenzimidazol group. Vitamin B12 forms a stable complex, which is
absorbed in the lower part of the small intestine, with the so-called intrinsic factor present in the gastric
juice. A lack of vitamin B12 can lead among other things to pernicious anemia. This disease is not generated
by an insufficient supply of vitamin B12, but by the absence of intrinsic factor. A pernicious
anemia can be treated by a high dosage of vitamin B12.
The existing detection procedures are mainly microbiological methods (1), but also HPLC and thinlayer
chromatography, all of which are associated with a high amount of time and instrumentation.
With the present test kit it is possible, to determine vitamin B12 quantitatively in vitaminated food (2) in
a significantly faster way (2.5 to 4 hours inclusive sample pretreatment) compared w