Osmolality is used in a wide range of clinical and industrial applications. Such diverse applications range from rapid assessment of renal capacity, the state of hydration in burn and trauma patients, and monitoring of irrigation fluid uptake in surgical cases. Industrial applications include the manufacture and use of cell culture media in biotechnology, formulation QA and reaction kinetics by pharmaceutical companies, monitoring hydration status as a performance indicator for elite athletes, and by law enforcement to screen for drugs distributed in liquid form at rave clubs.

Osmometers can be used to measure the osmolality of a sample. The freezing point depression method is the most commonly used method in laboratories around the world.

In this section you will be able to learn more about the science of osmolality along with a number of related topics. The Bibliography in the General Information section contains topics of interest, and you can see a brief synopsis of each publication by placing your cursor over each item. There is also a History section for those who are just beginning to learn about Osmolality. You may also wish to test your knowledge by taking the Quiz.