Products Description

What it is

EDTA tubes are typically purple in color. They are used to collect, preserve, and transport blood samples for analysis.

How it works

EDTA chelates calcium ions in the blood, which stops the coagulation process. This allows the liquid portion of the blood, called plasma, to be used for analysis.

What it's used for

EDTA tubes are used in many types of blood tests, including hematology procedures like blood typing and counting blood cells. EDTA can also be used to measure proteins, cytokines, and peptides.

How to use

The amount of blood collected in an EDTA tube is important, as too little blood can dilute the sample and too much EDTA can affect blood cell morphology. Specimens should be transported avoiding high temperatures, as excess heat can cause red cell fragmentation.