Green Plasma in Blood Donors

Abstract

RECENTLY we have noticed that many plasmas in female blood donors have been extremely green. A green plasma in a unit of blood usually suggests the presence of a gram-negative cryophilic organism such as pseudomonas producing a green pigment that could cause shock if the unit were used, and these units should therefore be destroyed. The other cause for a green plasma is an elevation in ceruloplasmin, which is copper bound to alpha₂ globulin and has a blue-green color. Elevated ceruloplasmin levels are found in pregnancy, after estrogen administration, and rheumatoid arthritis.^{1 , 2} Since the possibility existed that the green . . .