D4 Inquiry Activity

Skills References 1, 2
REQUIRED SKILLS
Using appropriate equipment and tools Analyzing patterns

Testing Simulated Urine for rotein and Sugar

Medical technologists routinely analyze patients urine samples in order to help doctors diagnose certain diseases. In this procedure, called urinalysis, medical technologists test a urine sample for the presence of sugar, protein, and other substances. Sugars such as glucose are not normally present in urine. Ho e!er, if a persons blood sugar concentration is abnormally high, as occurs in the disease diabetes, some of the glucose e"its the body in urine. #hen a person has $idney damage or high blood pressure, proteins sometimes e"it the body in the urine. In this acti!ity, you ill ta$e on the role of a medical technologist as you test simulated urine samples from three %patients& to detect the presence of sugar and protein. 'ou ill compare test results from the samples ith results from solutions containing $no n amounts of sugar or protein. (irst, you ill use )enedicts solution to test for glucose. )enedicts solution contains a copper compound that reacts ith glucose. In the presence of glucose, )enedicts solution changes colour from blue to dar$ red or orange. *his reaction occurs best in hot ater. +e"t, you ill use )iuret reagent to test for protein. )iuret reagent contains molecules that react ith the bonds bet een amino acids in proteins. #hen proteins are present, )iuret reagent changes colour from light blue to deep blue or purple.

Question
Ho does the detection of sugar or protein in the urine aid in the diagnosis of certain conditions,

!aterials " E#ui$ment

sugar

- small test tubes test.tube rac$ mar$er /0 pipettes 1 simulated urine samples positi!e control solution for )enedicts solution hot ater 200 m3 bea$er positi!e control solution for )iuret reagent

protein

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 rocedure

tongs ;or spoon<

art %& Testing for 'lucose 1( Ma$e a data table li$e the follo ing to record your results. =i!e your table a title. Table D4.1 Data Table 1
Sam$le )olour /= 7= 1= =8 Results %$$ro*imate )oncentration +

2( 3abel three small test tubes /=, 7=, and 1= for the samples from the three patients. 3abel the fourth tube =8 for the positi!e glucose control. ,( Use separate transfer pipettes to transfer 0.6 m3 of each simulated urine sample to test tubes /=, 7=, and 1=. *ransfer 0.6 m3 of the positi!e sugar control to test tube =8. 4( #ith a ne transfer pipette, add 0.6 m3 )enedicts solution to each test tube. >o not allo the pipette to touch the samples. *ightly close the lid of each test tube. )%UTI-.& Benedicts solution is corrosive. Use extreme care when handling Benedicts solution to avoid getting it on your skin or clothing. /( 8arefully add hot ater to your plastic foam cup until it is half full. )%UTI-.& Use extreme care when working with hot water. Do not let the water splash on your skin or clothes. 0( 8hec$ each tube to ma$e sure that it is tightly closed. :lace the four tubes in the bea$er ith the hot ater. 3ea!e the test tubes in the hot ater bath for 6 min. 1( ?emo!e the test tubes from the ater bath and let them cool. 2( ?ecord the colour of each test tube in your data table. If you need to ta$e the tubes out of the ater to see the results clearly, use tongs or a spoon to lift the tubes ;or rac$< out of the ater. 3( 8ompare the colour to the follo ing table of !alues to find the appro"imate concentration of glucose in each tube. ?ecord the appro"imate concentration in your table. Table D4.2 Table of Values
)olour blue ;no change< light green oli!e green %$$ro*imate )oncentration 4+5 negati!e result ./6@0.6 0.6@/.0

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yello

greenAyello

/.0@/.6 /.6 @7.0 7.0 or higher

orange redAbro n

art 6& Testing for rotein 17( Ma$e a data table li$e the follo ing to record your results. =i!e your table a title. Table D4.3 Data Table 2
Sam$le /: 7: 1: :8 )olour Results ositi8e or negati8e9

11( 3abel three small test tubes /:, 7:, and 1: for the samples from the three patients. 3abel the fourth tube :8 for the positi!e protein control. 12( #ith separate transfer pipettes, transfer / m3 of each simulated urine sample into test tubes /:, 7:, and 1:. *ransfer / m3 of the positi!e protein control to test tube :8. 1,( #ith a ne transfer pipette add 1 drops of )iuret reagent to each tube and close the caps tightly. )%UTI-.: Biuret reagent is corrosive. Use extreme care when handling Biuret reagent to avoid getting it on your skin or clothing. 14( Mi" each tube by tilting it upside do n. Bbser!e the test tubes after / min. If proteins are present, )iuret reagent changes colour from light blue to deep blue or purple. ?ecord the results in >ata *able 7.

%nal:;ing and Inter$reting

1/( Summarize each patients results.

Skill ractice
10( High blood pressure and abnormally high amounts of protein in the urine occur in a condition called preeclampsia, hich affects about 6 percent of omen during middle to late pregnancy. #hen not treated promptly, preeclampsia can lead to seizures and other serious complications. >uring prenatal e"aminations, a doctor chec$s a pregnant omans blood pressure, and also tests her urine for proteins. #hy might both tests be necessary to diagnose preeclampsia,

<orming )onclusions
11( #hat diagnoses do your findings support, 12( #hat other tests ould you perform or questions ould you as$ to confirm your diagnosis, 13( #hy is urine analysis a good method for detecting and diagnosing disorders,
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