Calculator or workflow name
SDS-PAGE gel preparation calculator
Category
Buffer preparation
Laboratory workflow need
Users often need to prepare SDS-PAGE resolving gels and stacking gels with different acrylamide percentages and gel numbers. A calculator should help determine the required volumes of acrylamide/bis solution, Tris buffer, SDS, APS, TEMED, and water based on gel percentage, gel size, and number of gels.
Required inputs
- Gel type: resolving gel or stacking gel
- Target acrylamide percentage
- Total gel volume
- Number of gels
- Extra volume percentage or fixed extra volume
- Acrylamide stock percentage
- Buffer recipe type
Expected outputs
- Acrylamide/bis solution volume
- Tris buffer volume
- SDS volume
- APS volume
- TEMED volume
- Water volume
- Total preparation volume
- Warning messages
Formula or calculation rules
Acrylamide stock volume = target acrylamide percentage × total gel volume / acrylamide stock percentage
Water volume = total preparation volume - sum of all other component volumes
Initial implementation may use common recipe presets, such as:
- 10% resolving gel
- 12% resolving gel
- 15% resolving gel
- 5% stacking gel
Recipe presets should be transparent and editable in future versions.
Units
Volume: mL, uL
Percentage: %
Acrylamide stock: 30%, 40%, custom
Gel number: integer
Validation rules and warnings
- Total gel volume must be positive
- Number of gels must be positive
- Target acrylamide percentage must be positive
- Acrylamide stock percentage must be greater than target percentage
- APS and TEMED should be added last
- Warn users to follow institutional safety rules when handling acrylamide
- Water volume cannot be negative
Example calculation
Prepare one 10% resolving gel with 10 mL total volume using 30% acrylamide/bis stock.
Expected output should include:
- Acrylamide/bis volume
- Tris buffer volume
- SDS volume
- APS volume
- TEMED volume
- Water volume
Exact preset values should be defined in the implementation and covered by tests.
References or notes
This calculator should support recipe presets first. The implementation should keep formulas and recipe assumptions visible to users. Acrylamide handling safety warnings should be included in documentation and UI text.
Scope check
Calculator or workflow name
SDS-PAGE gel preparation calculator
Category
Buffer preparation
Laboratory workflow need
Users often need to prepare SDS-PAGE resolving gels and stacking gels with different acrylamide percentages and gel numbers. A calculator should help determine the required volumes of acrylamide/bis solution, Tris buffer, SDS, APS, TEMED, and water based on gel percentage, gel size, and number of gels.
Required inputs
Expected outputs
Formula or calculation rules
Acrylamide stock volume = target acrylamide percentage × total gel volume / acrylamide stock percentage
Water volume = total preparation volume - sum of all other component volumes
Initial implementation may use common recipe presets, such as:
Recipe presets should be transparent and editable in future versions.
Units
Volume: mL, uL
Percentage: %
Acrylamide stock: 30%, 40%, custom
Gel number: integer
Validation rules and warnings
Example calculation
Prepare one 10% resolving gel with 10 mL total volume using 30% acrylamide/bis stock.
Expected output should include:
Exact preset values should be defined in the implementation and covered by tests.
References or notes
This calculator should support recipe presets first. The implementation should keep formulas and recipe assumptions visible to users. Acrylamide handling safety warnings should be included in documentation and UI text.
Scope check