COLOR ADDITIVE MODE OF ACTION USES

 Blood clot  Chemistries

Red None  Serum separated by  Immunosero
centrifugation  Blood Bank (crossmatch)
 Serum separator tube (SST)
contains a gel at the bottom to  Chemistries
Gold None
separate blood from serum on  Immunosero
centrifugation
 Anticoagulates with lithium
Plasma Separating
heparin
Light Green Tube (PST) with  Chemistries
 Plasma is separated with gel at
Lithium Heparin
bottom of tube
 Hema (CBC)
 Blood bank (crossmatch)
 Form calcium salts to remove
Purple EDTA  Full draw
calcium
 Invert 8x to prevent clotting
and platelet clamping
 Coagulation tests (protime and
 Forms calcium salts to remove prothrombin time)
Light Blue Sodium citrate
calcium PT ATPT
 Full draw
 For lithium level, use sodium
Sodium heparin or  Inactivates thrombin and level
Green
lithium heparin thromboplastin  For ammonia level, use sodium
or lithium heparin
 Trace element testing (Zn, Co,
Dark Blue EDTA  No contaminating metals
Pb, Hg) and toxicology
 Glucoses
Sodium fluoride  Antiglycolytic agent preserves
Light Gray  Full draw (may cause
Potassium oxalate glucose up to 5 days
hemolysis if short draw)
 HLA tissue typing
ACD (acid-citrate-
Yellow  Complement inactivation  Paternity testing
dextrose)
 DNA studies
Yellow-  Preserves viability of  Microbio – aerobies,
Broth mixture
Black microogranisms anaerobes, fungi
 Westergren Sedimentation
Sodium citrate  Forms calcium salts to remove
Black Rate
(buffered) calcium
 Full draw
Orange Thrombin  Quickly clots blood  STAT serum chemistries
 Inactivates thrombin and
Light
Sodium heparin thromboplastin  Serum lead determination
Brown
 No lead
Pink Potassium EDTA  Forms calcium salts  Immunohema
 Molecular/PCR and bDNA
White Potassium EDTA  Forms calcium salts
testing