SPECIMEN PROCESSING and HANDLING

Draw blood in (light blue-top) tube containing 3.2% sodium citrate, mix gently by inverting 3-4 times. Centrifuge 15 minutes at 2500-3500 RPM. Using a plastic pipette, remove plasma, taking care to avoid the WBC/platelet buffy layer and place into a plastic vial. Centrifuge a second time and transfer platelet-poor plasma into a new plastic vial. Freeze immediately and transport on dry ice.