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Urine 24-hours Collection, and Preservatives

January 21, 2025Lab TestsUrine Analysis

Table of Contents

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  • Urine 24-hours
        • What is the purpose of 24-hour urine collection?
        • What are the precautions for Urine 24 hours?
        • What type of container is used for urine collection?
        • How will you describe the procedure for 24-hour urine collection?
  • What are the Urine preservatives?
        • What is the purpose of urine preservative?
        • What is the mechanism of urine preservatives?
        • What are the examples of Urine Preservatives?
        • What preservative will you select for a particular purpose?
        • How can you summarize the normal urine picture?
      • Questions and answers:

Urine 24-hours

  • Please provide the following written instructions to the patient for 24 hours of urine collection.

What is the purpose of 24-hour urine collection?

  1. The main purpose of 24-hour urine collection is to quantify certain substances excreted in the urine.
  2. Urine samples may also be collected for 1 and 4 hours.
  3. It helps in assessing kidney function.

What are the precautions for Urine 24 hours?

  1. A complete and accurate collection must be made to properly evaluate the required test on 24-hour urine samples.
  2. Drink fewer fluids during the collection time unless advised by the doctor.
  3. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
  4. Avoid certain foods, beverages, and medication that may affect the result.
  5. Do not test the chemicals needed before the required time of collection because the excretion of the substance in the urine varies.

What type of container is used for urine collection?

  1. Urine containers should be clean and sterile. It should have a tightly fitting lid to avoid evaporation, contamination, and urine spillage.
    1. Label the urine bottle with name, age, sex, and collection date.
  2. For a 2-hour urine collection, the one-liter container is sufficient.
  3. For 12-hour collection, the 2-liter container is sufficient.
  4. For 24-hour collection, you may need a 3 to 4-liter container.
  5. A single container is preferred because of the mixing of the analytes needed for estimation.
    1. The single container also avoids the loss of urine.
Urine 24-hour: Urine containers

Urine 24-hour: Urine containers

How will you describe the procedure for 24-hour urine collection?

  1. Empty the urinary bladder when you get up in the morning.
  2. Note the time …………… and date ………..
    1. Discard the first urine in the bladder (empty bladder), and start the clock.
    2. Thereafter, all the urine samples will be collected in the container.
  3. From now on, collect the urine in a clean bottle or container.
  4. Collect all the urine passed during the day and night.
    1. Note the time, which will be the same………….. and date (after 24 hours) …………..
    2. Empty your bladder into the container (last-moment urine sample) and make the final collection of urine at the same time.
  5. Keep the urine in the refrigerator and, if possible, bring it to the laboratory as soon as possible after the collection.
  6. There may be a need to add chemicals like hydrochloric acid or boric acid in some of the tests as preservatives.
24-hour urine collection procedure

24-hour urine collection procedure

What are the Urine preservatives?

What is the purpose of urine preservative?

  1. Preservatives prevent bacterial growth.
  2. Preservatives prevent the decomposition of the substance to be tested.
  3. Preservative prevents the precipitation of the substance from being tested.
  4. Refrigeration during and after urine collection is the best preservative.
    1. Acidification of the urine (pH below 3) is used for calcium, steroids, and VMA.
    2. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used as a preservative to test porphyrins, urobilinogen, and uric acid.

What is the mechanism of urine preservatives?

  1. Urine preservatives work:
    1. Prevents decomposition of the urine.
    2. Prevents the growth of bacteria.
    3. Prevents the metabolism of the microorganism.

What are the examples of Urine Preservatives?

  1. Hydrochloric acid (HCL) 6 mol/L needed 30 mL for a 24-hour urine sample.
  2. A boric acid of 10 grams per 24-hour urine sample is needed.
  3. Nitric acid (HNO3) 6 mol/L, 15 mL needed for 24-hour urine.
  4. Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), 5 grams needed for 24-hour urine.
  5. Acetic acid 50%, 25 mL needed for 24-hour urine.
  6. Thymol preserves protein and ketones. It prevents bacterial growth.
  7. Toluene preserves for a long period of time. It prevents bacterial growth.

Urine preservative for various chemicals:

Chemical to be tested Preservative Instructions Advantages
  • Calcium
  • 25 mL of 6 M HCL
  1. Received without preservative
  2. Mix well urine
  3. Take 10 mL and add 0.1 mL 6 M HCL
  • Prevents degradation of unstable compounds in urine
  • Magnesium
  • 25 mL of 6 M HCL
  1. Received without preservative
  2. Mix well urine
  3. Take 10 mL of urine and add 0.1 mL of 6 M HCL
  • Prevents degradation of unstable compounds in urine
  • Phosphorus
  • 25 mL of 6 M HCL
  1. Received without preservative
  2. Mix well urine
  3. Take 10 mL of urine and add 0.1 mL of 6 M HCL
  • Prevents degradation of unstable compounds in urine
  • Uric acid
  1. Sodium carbonate 5 grams or
  2. 10 mL of NaOH (12.5 M)
  1. Received without preservative
  2. Mix well urine
  3. Take 10 mL of urine and add 0.1 mL 12.5 M NaOH
  • NaCO3 Prevents the breakdown of light-sensitive compounds.
  • Creatinine
  • No need
  • Glucose
  1. No need
  2. keep it in the fridge
  • Amylase
  1. No need
  2. Please keep it in the fridge
  • Protein and albumin
  1. No need
  2. Keep it in the fridge
  • Sodium, Potassium, Chloride
  • No need

What preservative will you select for a particular purpose?

  1. Glucose Stability: Sodium fluoride.
  2. Hormone Testing: HCl or acetic acid.
  3. Culture and Sensitivity: Boric acid or refrigeration.
  4. Microscopic Analysis: Formalin or refrigeration.
  5. No preservative is needed: When urine is immediately tested.

How can you summarize the normal urine picture?

Physical features Chemical features Microscopic findings
  1. Color = Pale yellow or amber
  2. Appearance = Clear to slightly hazy
  3. pH = 4.5 to 8.0
  4. Specific gravity = 1.015 to 1.025
  1. Blood = Negative
  2. Glucose = Negative
  3. Ketones= Negative
  4. Protein = Negative
  5. Bilirubin = Negative
  6. Urobilinogen = Negative (±)
  7. Leucocyte esterase = Negative
  8. Nitrite for bacteria = Negative
  1. RBCs = Rare or Negative
  2. WBC = Rare or Negative
  3. Epithelial cells = Few
  4. Cast = Negative (Occasional hyaline)
  5. Crystal = Negative (Depends upon the pH of the urine)
  6. Bacteria = Negative

Questions and answers:

Question 1: What preservative you will use for estimation of uric acid?
Show answer
You can use sodium carbonate 5 grams, or 10 mL of NaOH.
Question 2: What is the purpose of urine 24-hour sample?
Show answer
It is advised to quantify the amount of the substance.

Possible References Used
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Comments

Zahid Akbar Reply
February 27, 2020

Very Very Information post…………

Dr. Riaz Reply
February 27, 2020

Thanks for the encouraging remarks

Dr. Riaz Reply
March 17, 2020

I have given the link that how to collect 24 hours sample

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