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
