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Serial Dilutions

Serial Dilutions. MLAB 1335 Immunology/Serology Terry Kotrla. Introduction. Many of the laboratory procedures involve the use of dilutions. It is important to understand the concept of dilutions, since they are a handy tool used throughout all areas of the clinical laboratory.

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Serial Dilutions

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  1. Serial Dilutions MLAB 1335 Immunology/Serology Terry Kotrla

  2. Introduction • Many of the laboratory procedures involve the use of dilutions. • It is important to understand the concept of dilutions, since they are a handy tool used throughout all areas of the clinical laboratory. • These dilutions have to be considered as they make a quantitative difference in what is going on.

  3. Serial Dilutions • A serial dilution is any dilution where the concentration decreases by the same quantity in each successive step. • Serial dilutions are mutiplicative.

  4. What Does This Mean?? • If a solution has a 1/10 dilution the number represents 1 part of the patient sample added to 9 parts of diluent. • So the volumes used would be 10-1= 9. • This represents 1 part patient sample added to 9 parts of diluent.

  5. Dilutions • If a 1/8 dilution of the stock solution is made followed by a 1/6 dilution what is the final dilution. • The final dilution is: 1/8 x 1/6 = 1/48 • These type of dilutions are trickier and not used very frequently in the clinical lab.

  6. Doubling Dilutions • “Doubling dilutions” are very popular. • This is a series of ½ dilutions. Each successive tube will ½ the amount of the original concentrated solution. • If this is done 6 times this is what you would end up with:

  7. Doubling Dilution 6 Times • 1st dilution = 1 /2 • 2nd dilution = 1 /2 x 1 /2 = 1/4 • 3rd dilution = 1/4 x 1 /2 = 1/8 • 4th dilution = 1/8 x 1 /2 = 1/16 • 5th dilution = 1/16 x 1 /2 - 1/32 • 6th dilution = 1/32 x 1 /2 = 1/64 • This results in a series of dilutions, each a doubling dilution of the previous one

  8. Dilution Factor • The dilution factor is the final uses the formula volume/aliquot volume. • EXAMPLE: What is the dilution factor if you add 0.1 mL aliquot of a specimen to 9.9 mL of diluent? • The final volume is equal to the aliquot volume PLUS the diluent volume: 0.1 mL + 9.9 mL = 10 mL • The dilution factor is equal to the final volume divided by the aliquot volume: 10 mL/0.1 mL = 1:100 dilution

  9. Practice • Problem: What is the dilution factor when 0.2 mL is added to 3.8 mL diluent?

  10. Set Up The Problem • dilution factor = final volume/aliquot volume • 0.2 +3.8 = 4.0 total volume • 4.0/0.2 = 1:20 dilution

  11. Problem Continued • Remember that serial dilutions are always made by taking a set quantity of the initial dilution and adding it successively to tubes with the same volume. • So each successive dilution would be multiplied by the dilution factor.

  12. Problem Continued • So in the above problem all successive tubes would have 3.8 mLs of diluent. • You would then transfer 0.2 of the initial diluted sample into the next tube, mix transfer 0.2, mix and so on. • If you had 4 tubes what would be the final dilution of tube 4?

  13. Solving the Problem - *Calculate DF of tube 1

  14. Solving the Problem • Or if you simply wanted to know the dilution of the final tube you could just multiply them together: • 1/20 x 1/20 x 1/20 x 1/20 = 1:160,000

  15. Next • What if we added the indicator system to the test system? • You must create additional rows, if you are showing your work, to take into consideration the dilutional effect that will have on the dilution. • When an indicator is added it is CRITICAL to remove an aliquot from the last tube.

  16. Adding Indicator Cells

  17. Serial Dilutions • When performing serial dilutions in the clinical laboratory one must know the dilution of each tube so a chart is always created to indicate the dilution of each tube. • If you know the dilution factor you multiply each successive tube by it and can easily determine the concentration of each tube to create your chart.

  18. Titers • TITERS are reported out as the reciprocal of the last tube giving a positive reaction. • So if tube 2 was the endpoint, the dilution is 1:800 the titer is reported out as 800/1= 800.

  19. Other Applications • Sometimes when analyzing a blood sample the results are above the linearity (or accuracy) of the machine. • When this happens the blood must be diluted, retested, then the result multiplied by the dilution factor.

  20. Example • A blood glucose of 800 mg/dL was obtained. • According to the manufacturer the highest glucose result which can be obtained on this particular instrument is 500 mg/dL. • The sample must be diluted.

  21. Example • The serum was diluted 1:10 and retested. • The result is 80 mg/dL. • THIS IS NOT THE REPORTALBE RESULT! • You must multiply by the dilution factor of 10. • 10 x 80 = 800 mg/dL

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