Posted July 8, 2019
Answer
A serial dilution is the stepwise dilution of a substance in a solution. Serial dilutions result in the geometric progression of the concentration in a logarithmic fashion, meaning the concentration decreases by the same quantity in each successive step. When performing a serial dilution remember to:
- Perform steps in order
- Keep the dilution factor (DF) for each step constant
For example, creating a four-fold dilution (DF = 1/4) with a starting concentration of 10 µM yields the following concentrations: 10 µM, 2.5 µM, 0.625 µM, 0.156 µM, 0.039 µM etc.
Video 1. Serial dilution tutorial.
For assistance preparing a serial dilution, see ‘Serial Dilution Calculator.’
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