The correct answer is (a) sodium citrate
The explanation is: Sodium Citrate is an anticoagulant. Adding it ensures that the blood does not coagulate in the blood bags. If the blood is left static, i.e. if it does not keep moving, it starts coagulating. Once even if a small amount of blood has coagulated, even if it has a few cells, the coagulation spreads. The coagulation of blood can begin within a few minutes after extraction of blood and can finish within a few hours. To avoid this situation, anticoagulants are used.