phlebotomy different types of tubes used for blood specimen, uses advantages and disadvantages of different tubes.

1. Ubi Ahmad
Blood Collection Tube:
Vacutainer blood collection tube is a sterile and plastic test tube with a colored rubber top stopper
creating a vacuum seal inside of the tube, facilitating the drawing of a predetermined volume of liquid.
For the example blood sample
Phlebotomy
Collection of the patent blood specimen to send the laboratory for testing, diagnostic and research.
Phlebotomy is a procedure in which a needle is used to take blood specimen from a vein, usually for
laboratory testing.
1. Blood Culture Bottle
Purple:
• Generally used for hematology tests where whole blood is required for analysis.
• These tubes contain EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) which act as a potent anticoagulant
by binding calcium to blood.
Common tests:
o Full blood count FBC
o Erythrocyte sedimentation rate ESR
o Blood film for abnormal cells or malarial parasites
o Reticulocytes / hbA1C for DM patient
o Red blood folate / parathyroid hormone PTH
Pink:
Same as the purple one but are specifically used only for white blood samples.
Common tests:
o Group and save (G&S)
o Cross match (CM)
o Direct coomb’s test aka direct antiglobulin test for autoimmune haemolytic anemia.
Blue:
Blue is used for haemotolgy tests involving the clotting system, which require inactivated whole blood
for analysis. This contains buffered sodium citrate, which acts as a reversible anticoagulant by binding
the calcium ion in the blood and subsequently disrupting the clotting cascade.
Common tests:

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o Coagulation screening includes bleeding time for platelet function / prothrombin time PT for
extrinsic pathway, / activated partial thromboplastin APTT for intrinsic pathway and Thrombin
time TT or fibrinogen assay for final common pathway.
o D-timer thrombosis, e.g., due to DHV or PE
Yellow:(aka gold)
Bottle used for huge variety of tests requiring separate serum for analysis including biochemistry,
endocrinology, oncology, toxicology, microbiology and immunology.
This tube is known in lab as SST (serum separating tube). It contains 2 agents, silica particles &
serum separating gel. This silica particles works to activate clotting and cause the blood to cells to
clump together.
Common tests:
o Urea & electrolytes (Includes, UREA/CRETANIN/SODIUM/POTTASIUM)
o C-reactive protein (CRP)
o LFT’s this includes BILRUBIN/ALP/AST/ALT/GGT/TOTAL PROTEIN/ALBUMIN)
o Amylase assay
o Bone profile includes CALCIUM/POTASSIUM/ALP/ALBUMIN.
o Magnesium assay / thyroid function test / troponins/urate/creatinine kinase/serum
osmolality
Red:
• Contain silica particles which act as a clot activator.
• Used for biochemistry tests requiring serum
• Used for many sensitive tests including hormones, toxicology, drug levels, bacterial, viral
serology, antibodies.
Dark green:
• Contains sodium heparin which acts as anticoagulant.
Common tests:
o Ammonia
o Insulin
o Renin & aldosterone.
White:
• Used for molecular diagnostics such as PCR and DNA amplification studies.

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Black:
• It is used for paediatric ESR