Millimolar to Picomolar Converter

Common Conversions

mM	pM
1e-9	1
1e-7	100
0.000001	1000
0.00001	10000
0.0001	100000
0.001	1000000
0.01	10000000
0.1	100000000
1	1000000000
10	10000000000
100	100000000000
1000	1000000000000

Why this conversion matters in chemistry

Therapeutic-antibody Kd characterization runs into this conversion routinely. Buffer salts run at mM (140 mM Na⁺, 5 mM K⁺), while a high-affinity macrocyclic-peptide or biologic Kd sits at pM on the SPR or MST output. A 5 mM buffer salt is 5 × 10⁹ pM — nine prefix decades above the binding signal a high-affinity therapeutic produces. The buffer ionic strength itself shapes the Kd, which is why kinetics fitting models build ionic-strength dependence in. Origin of the 10⁹ pM per mM: three SI prefix steps (mM → µM → nM → pM).

Formula

pM = mM × 10⁹

Worked Examples

1 mM = 1×10⁹ pM

The conversion anchor — nine prefix decades, the full span of the relationship.

0.001 mM = 1×10⁶ pM

1 µM — a typical mid-tier dilution step.

0.000001 mM = 1000 pM

1 nM — about a typical lead-compound concentration.

10 mM = 1×10¹⁰ pM

10 mM — about a typical buffer-salt concentration in pM units.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert mM to pM?

Multiply by 10⁹ (one billion). So 1 mM becomes 10⁹ pM. The relationship is exact through three SI prefix steps.

What does the dilution factor tell us?

Going from a 1 mM stock to a 1 pM working concentration requires a 10⁹-fold dilution — far beyond what a single dilution can deliver accurately. Serial dilutions through intermediate µM and nM working stocks are essential to keep each step well within pipette accuracy.

How many serial dilutions from mM to pM?

At 1:1000 per step, three: mM → µM → nM → pM. At 1:100, four to five. Pick the dilution scheme that keeps each step within the working range of standard micropipettes.