Changes in volatile compounds of human urine as it ages: their interaction with water

Abstract

The urinary odors are commonly perceived as unpleasant. While numerous studies have identified the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from urine, the odorants responsible for the urine odor are not well characterized. Furthermore, anecdotal reports suggest that the odor of aged urine is different from that of fresh urine. However, no study has yet to investigate the specific VOCs released from aged urine. In this study, we analyzed and compared the VOCs released from fresh and aged urine samples, investigating the changes in the urinary VOCs as urine aged. We found an overall decrease in concentration of many urinary VOCs, and concluded this was due to the urine evaporating as it aged. On the contrary, some highly water-soluble compounds such as short and branched-chain organic acids and trimethylamine, increased. Their increased release is most likely due to the loss of water and the subsequent release of water-soluble VOCs as urine ages. We suggest that these VOCs may contribute to the odor of the aged urine.

Keywords: Gas chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC–MS); Hydration status; Metabolite Differentiation and Discovery Lab (MeDDL); Urine; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs).