Sodium acetate buffer is widely used in biochemical and molecular biology applications to maintain a stable pH environment, typically in the range of 3.6 to 5.6. It is commonly employed in DNA and RNA extraction procedures, where it helps to create optimal conditions for nucleic acid precipitation when used with alcohol. In protein purification, this buffer supports consistent ion exchange and affinity chromatography by stabilizing pH. It is also used in electrophoresis, particularly in agarose gel running buffers, to ensure proper nucleic acid separation. Additionally, sodium acetate buffer finds use in pharmaceutical formulations and microbial fermentation processes where pH control is critical for activity and stability.