Alginate Dilution Calculator

Created by Jeffery Osagie and Dr. A. West

Input Data

All fields marked with an asterisk require a valid numeric input. Fields highlighted with green should not be changed normally. Very important to double-check fields highlighted in red. Number of substrates: Volume per substrate (mL): Manual volume entry (mL): If value is zero, total volume will be calculated by multiplying number and volume of substrates.

Alginate

Stock alginate concentration (%) *Final alginate concentration (%): This field cannot be blank, enter a final alginate concentration.
Alginate sodium content (mM): Alginate bicarbonate content (mM):

RGD-Alginate

Stock RGD-alginate concentration (%): Stock RGD content (µmol/mg): *Final RGD content (µM): This field cannot be blank, enter a final rgd-alginate content.
RGD-alginate sodium content (mM): RGD-alginate bicarbonate content (mM):

Fibrinogen

*Stock fibrinogen concentration (mg/mL): This field cannot be blank, enter stock fibrinogen concentration.
*Final fibrinogen concentration (mg/mL): This field cannot be blank, enter a final fibrinogen concentration.
Fibrinogen sodium content (mM): Fibrinogen bicarbonate content (mM):

Collagen

Stock collagen concentration (mg/mL): *Final collagen concentration (mg/mL): This field cannot be blank, enter a final collagen concentration.
Collagen acid concentration (mM): Concentrated bicarbonate (mM): Final bicarbonate concentration (mM):

Internal Calculations/Constants

Total Volume (µL): RGD needed (µMoles): RGD-alginate needed (mg): RGD alginate concentration (%): Standard alginate concentration (%): Alginate used (mg): Fibrinogen used (mg): Collagen used (mg): Final µMoles bicarbonate needed: µMoles from acidic collagen: µMoles bicarbonate added with matrix: µMoles bicarbonate to add: µMoles sodium added: µMoles sodium needed: µMoles sodium to add:

Costs

Regular Alginate ($/mg): RGD alginate ($/mg): Fibrinogen ($/mg): Collagen ($/mg): Regular Alginate cost: RGD alginate cost: Fibrinogen cost: Collagen cost:

Calculated Volumes

Switch to Milliliters

Standard alginate (µL): RGD-alginate (µL): Collagen (µL): Fibrinogen (µL): Water (µL): 5% Bicarbonate (µL): 1.5 M NaCl (µL):

Actual Volumes (Standard Alginate)

Standard alginate (µL): RGD-alginate (µL): Collagen (µL): Fibrinogen (µL): Water (µL): 5% Bicarbonate (µL): 1.5 M NaCl (µL): Total volume (µL):

Actual Volumes (RGD-Alginate)

Standard alginate (µL): RGD-alginate (µL): Collagen (µL): Fibrinogen (µL): Water (µL): 5% Bicarbonate (µL): 1.5 M NaCl (µL): Total volume (µL):

About calculator

This calculator precisely estimates the volume of salt buffers and water required to neutralize the acid from the collagen component of bio-inks and achieve physiologic tonicity.
The required inputs for the calculator are the desired final volume of bio-ink, and the stock and final concentrations of each matrix component. With these inputs, the calculator computes the volume of 5% NaHCO₃, 1.5 M NaCl, and ddH₂O to achieve final salt concentrations of 145 mM NaCl and 5 mM NaHCO₃. Micro-volume errors associated with pipetting viscous alginates can also be corrected for by recalculating total volumes based on actual pipetted volumes, ensuring standardization and significantly minimizing variations between print runs.

How to calculate desired volumes

Final volumes can be computed from the following formula:
Volume of stock to be used = (Total volume to prepare * Desired concentration)/Stock concentration