Urea Discovery Industrial Use Laboratory Use Medical

In animals, the individual atoms of urea come from carbon dioxide, water, aspartate and ammonia in a metabolic pathway known as the urea cycle, an anabolic process. This expenditure of energy is necessary because ammonia, a common metabolic waste product, is toxic and must be neutralized. Urea production occurs in the liver and is under the regulatory control of N-acetylglutamate. Aquatic animals do not produce urea; living in an abundant supply of water, they can simply excrete ammonia immediately as it is produced. Birds, with more severe restrictions on water consumption than most other animals, produce uric acid, a compound even less toxic than urea. Humans produce a little uric acid as a result of purine breakdown. Indeed, excess uric acid production can lead to a type of arthritisArthritis (from Greek arthro joint + itis inflammation) is a group of conditions that affect the health of the bone joints in the body. One in three adult Americans suffer from some form of arthritis and the disease affects about twice as many women as me known as goutGout (old name: podagra is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals (due to hyperuricemia) in joints. It is an immensely painful disease, which in most cases affects only one joint, most commonly the big toe. The patient usuall.

1 Discovery

Urea was discovered by Hilaire RouelleHilaire Marin Rouelle ( 1718 1779) was a French chemist. In 1773, he discovered urea. He is known as the cadet to distinguish him from his older brother, Guillaume Francois Rouelle, who was also a chemist. Rouell, H. Rouell, H. Rouelle, Hilaire. in 1773Events January 12 The first American museum open to the public is opened in ( Charleston, South Carolina). January 17 Captain James Cook becomes the first European explorer to cross the Antarctic Circle April 27 or May 10 The British Parliament passes the. It was the first organic compound to be artificially synthesised in 1828Events January 4 The Vicomte de Martignac succeeds the Comte de Villele as Prime Minister of France. January 22 The Duke of Wellington succeeds Lord Goderich as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He repeals the Test Act, emancipating all Catholics, and by Friedrich Woehler, who prepared it by the reaction of potassium cyanate with ammonium sulfate . This disproved the theory that the chemicals of living organisms are substantially different from inanimate matter and started the discipline of organic chemistry.

2 Industrial use

Its principal industrial use is the manufacture of plastics (specifically, urea-formaldehyde resin).

It is also a component of many fertilizers, providing a nitrogen source that is necessary for plants.

3 Laboratory use

Urea is a powerful protein denaturant. This property can be exploited to help solubilize proteins that do not go into solution easily. For this application it is used in concentrations up to 6M.

4 Medical significance

See also blood urea nitrogen for a commonly performed urea test

Because urea is produced and excreted at a roughly constant rate, high levels of urea in the blood indicate a problem with the removal, or more rarely with the over-production, of urea in the body.

The most common cause of uremia is renal problems. It is measured along with creatinine to indicate direct problems with the kidneys (e.g. chronic renal failure) or secondary problems such as hypothyroidism.

Urea levels can also be increased in some malignant blood disorders, (e.g. leukaemia and multiple myeloma).

Markedly high levels of urea ( uremia) can cause neurological disturbances ( encephalopathy). Prolonged periods of uremia may result in the skin taking on a grey discolouration.

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