TBS Buffer Calculator

Scale source-specific 1X and 10X Tris-buffered saline formulations at pH 7.4 or pH 7.6.

Select a reviewed preset and enter the final volume to prepare.

Recipe presetTarget final volumeUnit

Recipe for 1 L of 1X TBS pH 7.4
Reagent	Formula	Amount or action
1 M Tris-HCl pH 7.4prepared aqueous stock		20 mL
5 M sodium chlorideprepared aqueous stock		30 mL
Hydrochloric acid		Measure the final mixture and adjust to pH 7.4 with 1 M HCl. Determine the required amount experimentally.
Purified water		After pH adjustment, bring the total solution volume to 1 L. Do not add 1 L of water; add water only until the total solution reaches 1 L.

How to prepare 1X TBS pH 7.4

Measure the calculated volumes of the defined 1 M Tris-HCl pH 7.4 and 5 M NaCl stocks.
Combine the stocks with purified water to less than the selected final volume.
Measure and adjust the final mixture to pH 7.4 with HCl.
Bring to the selected final volume, mix thoroughly, and verify the final pH at the intended temperature.

About This Buffer

Tris-buffered saline (TBS) combines a Tris buffering system with sodium chloride and is widely used in protein and immunoassay workflows. It is commonly used for washing, dilution, and antibody handling in western blotting and related methods. This calculator provides source-specific 1X TBS at pH 7.4, 10X TBS at pH 7.4, and 1X TBS at pH 7.6 rather than treating TBS as a single universal recipe.

Common questions

Which TBS presets are available?

The page contains 1X TBS pH 7.4, 10X TBS pH 7.4, and a source-specific 1X TBS pH 7.6 formulation.

Why do some TBS presets use stock solutions while others use dry reagents?

The page preserves each reviewed source formulation rather than forcing all presets into one preparation method.

Does Tris temperature sensitivity matter for TBS?

Yes. For presets requiring pH adjustment, measure and verify the pH at a temperature relevant to use.

Sources and review notes

The source for the currently selected preset appears first. Recipe quantities remain tied to the cited article location.

1X TBS pH 7.4

Source location: Recipes, 1× TBS pH 7.4 — combine 20 mL 1 M Tris-HCl and 30 mL 5 M NaCl, adjust the final mixture with 1 M HCl, then bring to 1 L.

Preparation method: Fixed mixing ratio of defined stock solutions

Isolation of Pure Mitochondria from Rat Kidneys and Western Blot of Respiratory Chain Complexes PMC7853962 · open article

View sources for all presets

10X TBS pH 7.4

Source location: Protocol, Stock Solutions — dissolve 6.06 g Tris and 8.77 g NaCl in 90 mL, adjust to pH 7.4 with 37% HCl, then bring to 100 mL.

Preparation method: Source-stated quantitative composition

Titration ELISA as a Method to Determine the Dissociation Constant of Receptor Ligand Interaction PMC5912426 · open article

1X TBS pH 7.6

Source location: TBS preparation — source directly reports 6.057 g Tris base and 8.766 g NaCl per 1 L for 50 mM Tris / 150 mM NaCl TBS pH 7.6; adjust to pH 7.6 with HCl.