STUDIES ON URINARY OXALATE

1. A New Method for Determination of Urinary Oxalate

Abstract

Measurement of oxalic acid in urine is very important because oxalate is an important constituent of urolithiasis.
Previously reported methods of determination of oxalic acid are quite complicated.
Thus we developed a very simple and rapid method of estimation of oxalic acid in urine.
This method is an application and an improvement of the method of qualitative analysis of oxalic acid developed by Snell and Snell.
The oxalate is reduced to glyoxalic acid, which forms a coloured compound with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride. It can be determined colorimetrically.
Oxalate recovery is good. Other compounds having the structure similar to oxalic acid are not reactive.
The accuracy of this method makes it useful for routine determination of urinary oxalic acid.