Nitrotetrazolium blue chloride, often abbreviated as NBT, is a chemical compound commonly used as a substrate to detect the presence of certain enzymes, such as nitroreductases, in biological samples. When NBT is reduced by these enzymes, it forms an insoluble formazan product, producing a blue or purple color that can be visually or spectrophotometrically quantified. This reaction is frequently employed in research to study enzyme activity, particularly in immunology and microbiology. Additionally, NBT has been utilized in various assays to understand redox reactions and cellular oxidative stress.