Three protocols of platelet collection by apheresis on Cobe Spectra with different citrate concentrations were compared. First we determined until what level we could diminish the ratio anticoagulant/whole blood flow to enhance the efficiency without clotting in the cell separator by platelet aggregates. We found that protocol 2 had a better platelet collection efficiency than the standard protocol 1 : respectively 59 % versus 52 %. Protocol 3 had even a better efficiency but, due to the risk of clotting (5 % of the procedures) we rejected it for routine use. We compared in vitro platelet fonctions of protocols I and 2 by aggregometry in vitro. The results with the different aggregating agents indicated that the less citrated environment kept the platelets more fonctional in vitro. A disadvantage of protocol 2 compared to the standard protocol is the more important number of platelet concentrates that contain more than 10(6) leucocytes.