mmolL

mmol/L, short for millimoles per liter, is a concentration unit used to express the amount of a solute in a liter of solution. It is an SI-derived unit equal to 10^-3 moles per liter (0.001 mol/L). In SI terms, 1 mmol/L is also equivalent to 1 mole per cubic meter (mol/m^3). This unit is widely employed in clinical chemistry and medical laboratories to report concentrations in plasma, serum, urine, and other body fluids.

mmol/L is the standard expression for many solutes in clinical practice, including electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium, as well as metabolites like glucose and urea, and various drugs. It is especially common in Europe, Asia, and many other regions; in the United States some parameters are still reported in mg/dL, depending on the test and setting.

Converting mmol/L to other common units requires the compound’s molar mass. For example, glucose with a molar mass of 180.16 g/mol: 5 mmol/L equals about 90 mg/dL (5 × 180.16 mg/L = 900.8 mg/L = 90.08 mg/dL). In general, mg/dL = (mmol/L) × (M, g/mol) / 10. Conversely, mmol/L = (mg/dL) × 10 / (M).

Reference ranges for mmol/L vary by analyte and laboratory method; values should be interpreted in the context of the specific test and patient. The unit provides a direct measure of molar concentration, independent of sample mass, making it a convenient and internationally recognized reporting standard.