What is the Difference Between EDTA and Sodium Citrate?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and Sodium Citrate are both anticoagulants used in blood collection tubes to prevent blood clotting. However, they have different purposes and effects on blood samples:
- Purpose: EDTA is primarily used for hematologic tests, while Sodium Citrate is used for coagulation testing and as a test agent for factors V and VIII.
- Effect on Platelets: EDTA blood samples can be used for platelet counts and have a stable platelet count after 1 hour of standing at room temperature. In contrast, citrated samples show a significant drop in platelet count after 1 hour, which continues up to 4-6 hours.
- Calcium Chelation: Both EDTA and Citrate remove calcium from the blood by chelating it, which is essential for blood coagulation. However, Citrate's effect is reversible, allowing calcium to be added back to study coagulation under controlled conditions.
- Types of Anticoagulants: EDTA is an aminopolycarboxylic acid, while Sodium Citrate is an inorganic compound with sodium cations and citrate anions in different ratios.
In summary, EDTA and Sodium Citrate are both anticoagulants, but they serve different purposes in blood testing and have varying effects on blood samples and platelet counts.
Comparative Table: EDTA vs Sodium Citrate
EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and sodium citrate are two chemical compounds with different properties and applications. Here is a table highlighting the differences between them:
Property | EDTA | Sodium Citrate |
---|---|---|
Chemical Formula | C10H16N2O8 | Na3C6H5O7 |
Chelating Ability | Binds various metal ions | Binds specifically to calcium ions |
Medical Applications | Treating heavy metal poisoning, blood analysis, personal care products | Coagulation test agent, food additive, preservative |
Anticoagulation | Preserves blood cells better than sodium citrate for hematologic tests | Less effective than EDTA for preserving blood cells |
Food Industry | - | Used as a flavoring or preservative in sauces, cheese, and other food products |
Both EDTA and sodium citrate exhibit chelating properties, which means they can bind and sequester metal ions. However, EDTA has a broader spectrum of metal ion binding, while sodium citrate has a specific affinity for calcium ions. In the medical field, EDTA is used for hematologic tests and treating heavy metal poisoning, while sodium citrate is used as a coagulation test agent and an anticoagulant. In the food industry, sodium citrate is used as a flavoring or preservative, while EDTA is not.
- Disodium EDTA vs Tetrasodium EDTA
- Sodium Citrate vs Citric Acid
- EDTA vs EGTA
- Calcium vs Calcium Citrate
- Magnesium vs Magnesium Citrate
- Chelated Magnesium vs Magnesium Citrate
- Potassium Citrate vs Potassium Gluconate
- Magnesium Glycinate vs Citrate
- Calcium Carbonate vs Calcium Citrate
- Zinc Citrate vs Zinc Gluconate
- Sodium Nitrate vs Sodium Nitrite
- Magnesium Malate vs Magnesium Citrate
- Sodium vs Sodium Chloride
- Sodium Chloride vs Sodium Nitrate
- Ascorbic Acid vs Sodium Ascorbate
- Magnesium Citrate Malate vs Glycinate
- Sodium vs Salt
- Sodium Sulphate vs Sodium Sulphite
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate vs Sodium Trideceth Sulfate