Albumin measurement uses which approach with known biases?

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Albumin is measured in clinical labs with dye-binding assays that rely on a color change when the dye binds to albumin. The best approach uses a spectral shift produced by binding to bromcresol green or bromcresol purple, because the dye–albumin interaction alters the dye’s absorbance in a way that tracks with albumin concentration. This method is widely used for its simplicity and speed, but it comes with known biases because substances in serum—like bilirubin, lipids, and other proteins—can affect how the dye binds and how the absorbance changes, with the direction and magnitude of the bias depending on which dye is used. These biases are why different dyes exist and why clinicians interpret results with awareness of potential interference. The Bradford protein assay, while a common general protein test, is not the standard for albumin-specific measurement in clinical practice.