Common Vacuum Blood Collection Tubes, their additives and Laboratory Uses :

1. Red
Additive: None
Laboratory Uses: Serum testing; chemistry studies, blood bank, serology (RH Typing, Antibody screening, Red Cell Phototyping, DAT)

2. Yellow
Additive: SPS (Sodium Polyanetholsulfonate)
What additive does: Prevents the blood from clotting and stabilizes bacterial growth.
Laboratory Uses: Blood and bodily fluid cultures (HLA, DNA, Paternity)

3. Light Blue:
Additive: Sodium Citrate
What additive does: Removes calcium to prevent blood from clotting
Laboratory uses: Coagulation (clotting process-P.T)

4. Green:
Additive: Heparin (Sodium/Lithium/Ammonium)
What additive does: Inhibits thrombin formation to prevent clotting
Laboratory uses: Chemistry Testing (Plasma determinations in chemistry)

5. Lavender:
Additives: EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid)
What additive does: Removes calcium preventing clotting of blood
Laboratory uses: Hematology testing (ESR, CBC w/diff., HgBA1c)

6. Grey:
Additives: Potassium oxalate and Sodium fluoride
What additive does: Removes calcium preventing clotting, fluoride inhibits glycolysis
Laboratory uses: Chemistry testing, especially glucose(sugar) and alcohol (Glucose, Alcohol, GTT, Glucose fasting)

7. Royal Blue:
Additives: Sodium Heparin also Sodium EDTA
What additive does: Inhibits Thrombin formation to prevent clotting
Laboratory uses: Chemistry trace elements (such as Zinc, Copper, Lead and Mercury)

8. Black:
Additives: Sodium Citrate
What additive does: Forms calcium salts to remove calcium
Laboratory uses: ESR