Abstract
The purpose of the present studies was to determine the rate and mode of disintegration of human blood in various preservatives suitable for transfusion.
Blood was drawn from healthy adults in amounts of 300 to 600 cc in 1500 cc Erlenmeyer flasks containing the preservatives to be studied. The blood mixtures were then apportioned aseptically, 50 cc into each 250 cc Erlenmeyer flask, plugged with sterile cotton and stored at 2-5°C. Evaporation was nil. Bacterial contamination was excluded. At 5-day intervals one flask of the series was withdrawn from storage, the cells and plasma thoroughly mixed by careful shaking, and the entire sample centrifugated. The plasma was then pipetted off for analysis.
The preservatives used were: Anhydrous dextrose, U. S.P. (Merck), and anhydrous dextrose (Eastman Kodak Co.). Sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7 + 2H2O) (Merck's Reagent Grade). Heparin (Connaught Laboratories).
Plasma hemoglobin was determined by the method of Wu, 1 plasma potassium by the technic of Truszkowski and Zwemer, 2 plasma glucose by the procedure of Shaffer, Hartman, and Somogyi, 3 pH of plasma by the Coleman glass electrode, and specific conductance of plasma by the standard methods. 4
The Rous-Turner preservative 5 was modified by changing the proportions of blood, glucose, and citrate from 30:50:20 to 401:52:8, thus reducing the concentration of sodium citrate from 0.76% to 0.256%.
Table I presents data obtained from representative experiments. In no blood mixture was there total absence of hemolysis after 5 days' storage. The rates of hemolysis were definitely slower when large amounts of glucose were present. The K ions migrated into the plasma at the same rate in all preservatives; this process was independent of the amount of Hb in the plasma.
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