Comparison of methanol and isopropanol as wash solvents for determination of hair cortisol concentration in grizzly bears and polar bears.

摘要: Methodological differences among laboratories are recognized as significant sources of variation in quantification hair cortisol concentration (HCC). An important step processing hair, particularly when collected from wildlife, is the choice solvent used to remove or "wash" external shaft prior HCC. The present study systematically compared methanol and isopropanol wash solvents for their efficiency at removing without extracting internal samples free-ranging grizzly bears polar bears. Cortisol concentrations were determined each one eight washes with independently. •There no decreases all either solvent, although removed detectable surface after bear whereas was detected washes.•There HCC washed times but significantly greater methanol.•There quantified using different commercial ELISA kits commonly determinations.