What effect does Sodium Polyatholesulfonate (SPS) have during blood collection?

Sodium Polyatholesulfonate (SPS) is an anticoagulant used in blood collection, specifically for cultures where the presence of antibiotics could inhibit the growth of bacteria. The primary role of SPS is to inactivate certain antibiotics that may be present in the blood sample, thus ensuring that any organisms present can be properly cultured for identification.

By inactivating these antibiotics, SPS helps to create an environment conducive to bacterial growth, which is critical in diagnostic microbiology. This characteristic is what makes it suitable for collecting blood samples intended for microbiological cultures, as the presence of antibiotics could otherwise skew the results by suppressing the growth of the target organisms.

The other options do not accurately describe the function of SPS in blood collection. For instance, SPS does not promote clotting; on the contrary, it acts as an anticoagulant. It does not enhance blood cell counts or separate plasma from cells, which are actions associated with different processes or substances used in laboratory testing. Therefore, the correct understanding of SPS highlights its role in inactivating antibiotics to facilitate accurate microbial culturing.