1.

COLOR

The color of normal urine is usually light yellow to amber.

Generally the greater the solute volume the deeper the
color. The yellow color of urine is due to the presence of a
yellow pigment, urochrome. Deviations from normal color
can be caused by certain drugs and various vegetables such
as carrots, beets, and rhubarb.

2. ODOR

Slightly aromatic, characteristic of freshly voided urine.

Urine becomes more ammonia-like upon standing due to
bacterial activity.

3. TURBIDITY

Normal urine is transparent or clear; becomes cloudy upon

standing. Cloudy urine may be evidence of phosphates,
urates, mucus, bacteria, epithelial cells, or leukocytes.

4. pH

Ranges from 4.5 - 8.0. Average is 6.0, slightly acidic. High

protein diets increase acidity. Vegetarian diets increase
alkalinity. Bacterial infections also increase alkalinity.

5. SPECIFIC GRAVITY

The specific gravity of urine is a measurement of the

density of urine - the relative proportions of dissolved
solids in relationship to the total volume of the specimen. It
reflects how concentrated or dilute a sample may be. Water
has a specific gravity of 1.000. Urine will always have a
value greater than 1.000 depending upon the amount of
dissolved substances (salts, minerals, etc.) that may be
present. Very dilute urine has a low specific gravity value
and very concentrated urine has a high value. Specific
gravity measures the ability of the kidneys to concentrate or
dilute urine depending on fluctuating conditions. Normal
range 1.005 - 1.035, average range 1.010 - 1.025.
Low specific gravity is associated with conditions like
diabetes insipidus, excessive water intake, diuretic use or
chronic renal failure.

High specific gravity levels are associated with diabetes

mellitus, adrenal abnormalities or excessive water loss due
to vomiting, diarrhea or kidney inflammation. A specific
gravity that never varies is indicative of severe renal
failure.

Specific gravity can be determined by either of two

methods using a refractometer or a urinometer.

a. Refractometer - measures the refractive index of urine

which parallels the specific gravity.
1. Collect mid-stream sample of urine in collection cup.
2. Pipette 1-2 drops of urine into the plastic chamber
located on the top of the refractometer. Be sure that
the plastic is pressed firmly down in place on the
refractometer.
3. Determine the specific gravity of the urine by looking
through the refractometer and determining the value
on the scale on the left hand side. The specific gravity
value is where the light and dark intersect on the scale.
4. Clean the refractometer with kimwipes.
b. Urinometer - Is a weighted, bulb shaped device that has a
specific gravity scale on the stem end.
1. Fill the cylinder with enough urine so that the
urinometer will float in the urine and not touch the
bottom.
2. Be careful not to drop the urinometer in the cylinder!
Gently release it in order not to break or burst the
cylinder. It should NOT touch the sides or bottom of
cylinder.
3. The specific gravity can be read on the scale on the
stern of the urinometer at the meniscus.
4. The specific gravity of water is 1.000 with respect to
temperature. The urinometer can be checked
periodically against this standard to ensure quality
control at that temperature.
 Physical Characteristics
Physical characteristics that can be applied to urine include color, turbidity (transparency), smell (odor), pH (acidity - alkalinity) and density.

Many of these characteristics are notable and identifiable by by vision alone, but some require laboratory testing.

Color: Typically yellow-amber, but varies according to recent diet and the concentration of the urine. Drinking more water generally tends to

reduce the concentration of urine, and therefore causes it to have a lighter color. Dark urine may indicate dehydration. Red urine

indicates red blood cells within the urine, a sign of kidney damage and disease.

Smell: The smell of urine may provide health information. For example, urine of diabetics may have a sweet or fruity odor due to the presence

of ketones (organic molecules of a particular structure) or glucose. Generally fresh urine has a mild smell but aged urine has a stronger odor

similar to that of ammonia.

The pH of normal urine is generally in the range 4.6 - 8, with a typical average being around 6.0. Much of the variation occurs due to diet. For

example, high protein diets result in more acidic urine, but vegetarian diets generally result in more alkaline urine (both within the typical

range of 4.6 - 8).

Density: Density is also known as "specific gravity". This is the ratio of the weight of a volume of a substance compared with the weight of the

same volume of distilled water. The density of normal urine ranges from 0.001 to 0.035.

Turbidity: The turbidity of the urine sample is gauged subjectively and reported as clear, slightly cloudy, cloudy, opaque or flocculent.

Normally, fresh urine is either clear or very slightly cloudy. Excess turbidity results from the presence of suspended particles in the urine, the

cause of which can usually be determined by the results of the microscopic urine sediment examination. Common causes of abnormal

turbidity include : increased cells, urinary tract infections or obstructions.

Abnormalities in any of these of physical characteristics may indicate disease or metabolic imbalances. These problems may seem superficial

or minor on their own, but can actually be the symptoms for more serious diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, or a damaged glomerulus.