URINE SPECIMEN PRESERVATIVES

Characteristics of an ideal preservative:

Bactericidal
Inhibit urease
Preserve formed elements in the sediment
Should not interfere with chemical tests
Preservatives
Refrigeration
(2C - 8C)

Advantages
Does not interfere with
chemical tests
Acceptable for urine
culture; inhibits
bacterial growth for
24hours

Disadvantages
Raises specific gravity
by
hydrometer/urinomet
er
Precipitates
amorphous
phosphates and
urates

Freezing

Preserves bilirubin and

urobilinogen
Preserves glucose and
sediments well

Destroys formed
elements
Interferes with acid
precipitation tests for
protein
Inhibits bacteria and
yeast
May precipitate
crystals when used in
large amounts
Interferes with pH

Thymol
(one small
crystal)
Boric acid

Preserves protein and

formed elements well
Does not interfere with
routine analyses other
than pH
Acceptable for urine
culture (24 hr)

Formalin
(Formaldehyde)
1 drop/30 mL
urine

Excellent sediment
preservative

Acts as a reducing
agent, interfering with
chemical tests for
glucose, blood,
leukocyte esterase,
and copper reduction

Toluene
2 mL/100 mL
urine

Does not interfere with

routine tests
Preserves ketones,
proteins, and reducing
substances

Chlorhexidine

Prevents bacterial
growth
Useful as glucose
preservative

Not effective against

bacteria already
present in urine
Floats on surface of
specimens and clings
to pipettes and
testing materials
Flammable
If not protected from
light will yield
erroneous bilirubin
and urobilinogen
results

Additional Information
Prevents bacterial growth
Use in transporting urine
for culture (24 hours)
Must be returned to room
temperature before
chemical testing by
reagents strip (correct SG
and dissolve amorphous
urates)
Does not interfere with
reagents strip tests for
protein
Keeps pH at about 6.0
Is bacteriostatic (not
bactericidal) at 18g/L;
can use for culture
transport
Interferes with drug and
hormone analyses
Rinse specimen
container with formalin
to preserve cells and
casts
If used in too large
concentration it will
precipitate protein and
will give a false positive
test for reducing
substances

Chloroform

Used for inhibiting

bacterial growth

Sodium fluoride

Prevents glycolysis
Is a good preservative
for drug analyses

Sodium
carbonate

Preserves porphyrins
and porphobilinogen

Phenol

Des not interfere with

routine tests
Preserves calcium,
phosphates, aminolevulinic acid,
oxalate

Hydrochloric
acid

Glacial acetic
acid

Commercial
preservative
tablets
1 tablet/30 mL
urine
Gray C&S
(culture and
sensitivity)
tube
Yellow plain UA
tube
Cherry red/
yellow top tube

Preserves aldosterone,
catecholamines,
corticosteroids,
cortisol, estrogens,
metanephrines,
vanillylmandelic acid,
homovanillic acid
Convenient when
refrigeration is not
possible
Have controlled
concentration to
minimized interference
Sample stable at room
temperature (RT) for
48 hr; preserves
bacteria
Use on automated
instruments
Stable for 72 hours at
RT; instrument
compatible

Not for routine

urinalysis because it
causes cellular
sediment changes
Inhibits reagent strip
tests for glucose,
blood, and leukocytes
Unacceptable for
routine screening
Unacceptable for
routine urinalysis
Causes an odor
change
Unacceptable for
routine urinalysis
Destroys formed
elements; precipitates
solutes
Unacceptable for
urine screening
Destroys formed
elements
Precipitates solutes

May use sodium

benzoate instead of
fluoride for reagent strip
testing
Used for quantitative
analyses of porphyrins
and porphobilinogen
Use 1 drop per ounce of
specimen
Bactericidal; hazardous

Bactericidal; hazardous

May contain one or

more of the
preservatives
including sodium
fluoride

Check tablet composition

to determine possible
effects on desired tests

Decreases pH; do not

use if urine is below
minimum fill line

Preservative is boric acid

and may not be used for
UA

Must refrigerate
within 2 hours
Bilirubin and
urobilinogen may be
decreased if specimen
is exposed to light
and left at RT

Round or conical bottom

Preservative is sodium
propionate; conical
bottom

Saccomanno
Preserves cellular
Used for cytology studies
fixative
elements
*** Boric acid Bacteriostatic: Prevention of bacterial growth or reproduction without killing the
microorganisms