Optical Characterization of Calcium Oxalate Hydrate in Urine

Kidney stones is a common ailment worldwide, affecting adults, children and even animals. Calcium oxalate is the main component of the urinary tract stones in individuals, mostly due to the intake of high-oxalate foods. This paper is an approach towards the optical characterization of calcium oxalate hydrate in urine. This study demonstrates a label-free, accurate and sensitive method for detecting the presence of oxalate levels in urine. This can be done by measuring the changes in the optical properties of urine with increasing concentrations of calcium oxalate hydrate (CaC₂O₄·xH₂O) powder. The current method could detect CaC₂O₄·xH₂O at a concentration as low as 10 μg/mL of urine, making this method suitable for detecting changes that cannot be recognized by conventional methods. The ability to detect very small amount of stones makes it an attractive tool for detecting oxalate concentration. It can be used as cautionary measure for the individuals who take high amounts of oxalates and are prone to the kidney stones.