Resuspension Calculator — Pellet Reconstitution Volume
Find the volume of buffer or solvent to add to a dried pellet, lyophilised powder, or RNA/DNA pellet to reach a specific target concentration — enter the amount and desired concentration.
Amount unit
Concentration unit
µL
Buffer or solvent to add to reach the target concentration
- 1
Amount in µg
100 × 1 = 100 - 2
Concentration in µg/µL
2 × 1 = 2 - 3
Total volume needed
100 ÷ 2 = 50 - 4
Volume to add
50
How does this calculator work?
Volume to add = Amount / Target concentration. For a 100 µg pellet at 2 µg/µL target, add 50 µL of buffer. Adjust for any residual volume already in the tube. Units are flexible — the calculator converts µg/mg/g amounts and µg/µL, ng/µL, mg/mL, or µg/mL concentrations.
Formula
How this is calculated
After centrifugation or lyophilisation, you have a known amount of material (protein, nucleic acid, drug, or other compound) in a dry or semi-dry state. To prepare a working stock at a target concentration C, you add a volume V = A / C of buffer or solvent, where A is the total amount and C is the desired concentration. If residual liquid remains in the tube after aspiration, subtract that from the calculated volume so the final total matches the target.
The calculator converts all inputs to internally consistent units (µg and µL), computes the required total volume, subtracts any residual, and reports the volume to pipette. If the residual volume already exceeds the volume needed for the target concentration (i.e., the pellet is already too dilute), the calculator reports 0 µL to add and shows the actual achievable concentration.
Common laboratory practice assumes that the pellet itself contributes negligible volume compared to the buffer added — valid for dry pellets. For very large pellets or viscous slurries, the pellet volume may need to be measured separately and subtracted. Always verify the actual concentration with a spectrophotometer (A₂₆₀ for DNA/RNA, BCA or Bradford for protein) after resuspension.
Frequently asked questions
DNA is most commonly measured in ng/µL (= µg/mL). A typical stock for sequencing is 100 ng/µL; for PCR templates, 10–50 ng/µL. Select "ng/µL (= µg/mL)" and enter your target in nanograms per microlitre.
If you measured the OD or yield from a prep kit (e.g., "total yield 50 µg"), enter that value directly. If you only know the volume of the original sample and its concentration, multiply them: A = C × V to get the total amount, then use that as your pellet amount.
Enter the estimated residual volume in the "Residual buffer" field. After decanting or aspirating the supernatant, a few microlitres typically remain — commonly 2–10 µL depending on tube geometry and technique. Including this prevents over-dilution.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Resuspension Calculator — Pellet Reconstitution Volume [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/resuspension-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Resuspension Calculator — Pellet Reconstitution Volume." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/resuspension-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Resuspension Calculator — Pellet Reconstitution Volume," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/resuspension-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_resuspension_calculator, title = {Resuspension Calculator — Pellet Reconstitution Volume}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/resuspension-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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