Quantitative analysis of urea in human urine and serum by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance

Analyst. 2012 Feb 7;137(3):595-600. doi: 10.1039/c2an15780b. Epub 2011 Dec 16.

Abstract

A convenient and fast method for quantifying urea in biofluids is demonstrated using NMR analysis and the solvent water signal as a concentration reference. The urea concentration can be accurately determined with errors less than 3% between 1 mM and 50 mM, and less than 2% above 50 mM in urine and serum. The method is promising for various applications with advantages of simplicity, high accuracy, and fast non-destructive detection. With an ability to measure other metabolites simultaneously, this NMR method is also likely to find applications in metabolic profiling and system biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Urea / blood*
  • Urea / urine*

Substances

  • Urea