What Types of Blood Donation are There?
General Blood Donation 450-mL, or less than 1 pint, of whole blood is collected from each donor in a plastic bag that contains an anticoagulant preservative. Apheresis Component Donation Apheresis is a specialized form of blood donation in which only one specific blood component (platelets, plasma or red cells) are extracted from the donor. It is slightly more physically demanding than a whole blood donation. The process is also longer, about 45 to 90 minutes. Donate Blood Plasma can be carried on very casually. After donating the blood you can even go for work. The blood volume or plasma is replaced within a day. Four to eight weeks are needed for complete replacement of the red cells.
