Serial dilution
Serial dilution
Serial dilution (pronunciation: /ˈsɪəriəl daɪˈluːʃən/) is a method used in laboratory procedures to decrease the concentration of a solvent by adding a diluent. This process is often used in microbiology to quantify the number of organisms in a sample.
Etymology
The term "serial dilution" is derived from the Latin word "series" meaning "a number of things of the same kind" and the Latin word "dilutio" meaning "a washing away".
Procedure
In a serial dilution, a small amount of a concentrated solution is diluted with a solvent to create a less concentrated solution. This process is repeated in a series of steps to achieve a very dilute solution. The dilution factor at each step is usually constant, creating a geometric progression of concentration in a logarithmic fashion.
Applications
Serial dilution is commonly used in microbiology for the preparation of suspensions of microorganisms or cell cultures. It is also used in chemistry for the preparation of standard solutions. In medicine, serial dilution tests are used to determine the concentration of a substance in a sample, such as the amount of antibodies in a patient's blood.
Related Terms
- Dilution factor: The ratio of the initial and final solution volumes.
- Logarithmic dilution: A dilution which uses a logarithmic scale.
- Microbiology: The study of microscopic organisms.
- Solution: A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.
- Solvent: A substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution.
- Suspension (chemistry): A heterogeneous mixture that contains solid particles sufficiently large for sedimentation.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Serial dilution
- Wikipedia's article - Serial dilution
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