Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is an isotonic standard buffer solution. PBS imitates the pH, ion concentrations, and osmolarity of the human body. It serves as an ideal buffer for maintaining the osmolarity and physiological pH for biomedical dilutions in cell culture and protein chemistry. PBS is used for standard enzymatic tests with active metal-organic framework (MOF) biocomposites. PBS is considered non-toxic to cells.

Phosphate buffered saline has been used:

• for washing bacterial cells after harvesting by centrifugation
• for washing the peritoneal cavity for isolation of peritoneal macrophages
• as a control and to dilute phytohemagglutinin (PHA) to prepare subcutaneous injections and study the immune response in birds.