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FRII-12 USEFUL WASTE: A HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF URINE

2014; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 191; Issue: 4S Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.juro.2014.02.1750

1527-3792

Marcus Austenfeld, Ajay K. Nangia,

Medical History and Innovations

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory of Urology II (Moderated Poster)1 Apr 2014FRII-12 USEFUL WASTE: A HISTORY OF THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF URINE Marcus Austenfeld and Ajay Nangia Marcus AustenfeldMarcus Austenfeld More articles by this author and Ajay NangiaAjay Nangia More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2014.02.1750AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail Introduction and Objectives To examine the history of the industrial use of urine. Methods A search through both bibliographic and digital resources. Results Although most medical historians are familiar with its role in naming diabetes mellitus and diagnosing George III with porphyria, as a source of urea and subsequently nitrogen, urine was also a valuable component of many early industrial processes, from serving as a binding agent for early dyes and a processing agent for wool, to a critical element of early saltpeter and therefore gunpowder. Ammonia-rich urine was such an important commodity for the Roman laundry and tanning industries it was collected from the Cloaca Maxima sewer system and sold; Emperor Vespasian levied an unpopular tax against these sales and used the funds to help build the Colosseum. Casks of urine were collected across England and shipped to Yorkshire in order to fuel the burgeoning textile trade, but this was met with disgust by Elizabeth I, who forbade the foul-smelling wool production within five miles of her residences. Despite this royal censure urine’s use in textiles lasted far beyond the Tudor dynasty; urine was still being used in tweed production until the 1990s. Urine was the only source of urea until 1828, when chemist Friedrich Wohler successfully created urea from ammonium cyanate. The Wohler Synthesis essentially founded organic chemistry; his discovery was the first time a biologic product was made from inorganic reactants. This did not end urine’s value to industry, however. Urine from pregnant and menopausal women has long been a source of human chorionic gonadotropin (an analogue for luteinizing hormone) and human menopausal gonadotropin (follicle stimulating hormone) respectively and used for endocrine disorders and ovarian stimulation as part of assisted reproductive technologies. “PREgnant MAre uRINe” is collected from horses for one popular brand of conjugated estrogens. Urine as a source of clean, pre-filtered wastewater may be a critical component for hydrogen fuel cells in developing nations, where it still serves as an important fertilizer. Conclusions As physicians our interaction with urine is often one of contention—we seek to cleanse it of bacteria, chemically alter its mineral composition, and help our patients store or rid themselves of it. But this humble waste product had a noble role in the development of modern civilization, and continues to have industrial significance in the 21st century. © 2014FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 191Issue 4SApril 2014Page: e631 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2014Metrics Author Information Marcus Austenfeld More articles by this author Ajay Nangia More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...