Synthetic Urine Used To Generate Power

Scientists in the research laboratory of the U.S army are using synthetic urine in the generation of power. They hope this discovery will give people an access to new source of energy.

At the beginning, the researchers mixed water with aluminum powder they previously created to produce hydrogen, which can be used to charge fuel cells. The scientist from research group stated that they were focusing on being able to make use of a fluid that can be accessed or carried by military personnel along with a fuel cells that can power all their electronic devices. But at some point they discovered that they could use an entirely different liquid to replace the water. One that can be accessed by anyone with ease.

They had added the aluminum powder to the synthetic urine and this resulted in a more rapid and violent reaction as compared to water. So, now scientists can produce energy from urine.

Although the scientists in the laboratory have been using synthetic urine in their tests, they say that real pee will react similarly, because synthetic urine has absolutely identical chemical composition.

Chemical reaction between aluminum-based powder and artificial pee was faster than when water was used in the experiment, because there are some chemical compounds and electrolytes are present in urine. Moreover, the pH of urine is a bit acidic, and this factor is another reason why the reaction was so rapid and violent.

The researchers demonstrated how this reaction powers a radio-controlled tank and they say that it can power a lot of other things. For example, soldiers could charge with it any devices used for communication, satellite connection or GPS location.

And this energy is completely environmentally friendly. The byproduct of the reaction of water and aluminum-based powder is aluminum oxide or hydroxide. Both substances are non-toxic and can be disposed off anywhere without causing devastating effects to the environment.

Also, the reaction is very quiet, what is significant advantage in army. Special forces need to keep their location secret, so having something on them that can be readily used for the generation of power without any noise is very useful.

Another benefit, researchers say, is that soldiers do not have to carry around additional weight. They could find water in the field, for example from lakes, rivers, and rains. Moreover, their bodily fluids such as saliva and urine can be used as well.

The scientists hope that in future this technology will be used to generate power not just for soldiers, but for all people throughout the world.

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Synthetic Urine Is Under Attack In 2017

Starting from 1 January 2017, synthetic urine is prohibited by law in New Hampshire. The State Senate had voted for the bill 361 about synthetic urine ban almost one year ago, but only now it enters into the force. The sponsor of the bill, Republican Senator Jeanie Forrester, says that it will help in detection of illegal substances, because synthetic urine is very effective in masking them, what lets many drug abusers pass urine drug tests and hide their addiction.

According to the new law, not only those who sell, but even those who use fake urine in order to falsify the result of drug test, will be fined $500.

Another state that may prohibit fake pee is Colorado. The Republican State Senator Jon Becker want to sponsor new bill that will ban the sale and possession of this substance.

Marijuana is legal for recreation use in Colorado since 2014. This caused significant growing of marijuana sales and even cannabis tourism in this state. But marijuana use is still prohibited on workplace and in some other cases like probation, parole etc. So, growing of cannabis sales led to increase of the number of people who want to hide its use and, as a result, the demand for synthetic urine. Since this liquid is still legal in Colorado, it quickly appeared in marijuana dispensaries, smoke shops, tobacco shops etc. Drug test is very easy to cheat with fake pee and this became real problem for employers and probation officers. This is why Senator Becker is trying to outlaw it.

The opponents of the bill say that it violates personal privacy, since urine tests are not accurate, when it comes to marijuana detection. The problem is that unlike blood test, that detects only active THC metabolites, which show actual intoxication, the urine test detects also inactive marijuana metabolites, which can stay in the system for few weeks. This means that urine tests cannot be used for detection of workplace drug use and workers have right to protect themselves against such inaccurate checks with the help of synthetic urine. Not to mention the fact that it has other uses except substitution of drug testing samples.

If the bill will be approved, Colorado will be the first state that legalized marijuana use and banned synthetic urine.

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Wisconsin Senator Wants To Criminalize The Synthetic Urine

Bad news for all Wisconsin users of synthetic urine came last week - this substance will be criminalized, if the newly introduced bill will be approved.

The Republican member of State Senate Robert Cowles has proposed the bill that will criminalize not only manufacturing and distribution, but also the possession and advertising of any device or substance that can interfere, circumvent or defraud the results of lawfully administered drug tests. The text specifically highlights the masking agents and substances intended to substitute bodily fluids, so those who buy synthetic urine will be punished.

Use of synthetic urine is not a crime in Wisconsin now. Under the current law, those who use it to cheat workplace drug test can only be fired at worst and do not bear any criminal responsibility. New bill implies $500 fine or 30 days in jail (or even both) for the intent to use the synthetic urine for cheating a drug test. The manufacturers and distributors of masking agents are subjected to a fine of $1,000 or 90 days in jail (or both). The bill also prohibits publication of any advertisement of synthetic urine in magazines, newspapers, handbills and websites. The violators will incur the same punishment as users - $500 fine or/and 30 days imprisonment.

Similar laws were already adopted in 14 other states and the Wisconsin lawmakers hope to adopt their own one this year. They expect to send it to Assembly floor after reviewing by Health Committee in February.

According to authors this bill is aimed at fighting the drug abuse problem, and was caused by the increased consumption of heroin and other opiates in Wisconsin as well as by the fact that synthetic urine works for drug test. Except fake urine bill, lawmakers have introduced another three bills that regulate opioid treatment program, prescription drug monitoring program and allow issuing guidelines for prescribing controlled substances.

The critics of the bill say that prohibition of synthetic urine may not only affect heroin addicts, but also will violate the rights of medical marijuana users, who can lose their jobs in case of failed drug test. Since most Wisconsinites support the use of marijuana for medical purposes (what is not allowed in their state now), the legislators should first allow and regulate its usage to eliminate the need for drug test adulteration of those who require it.

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Synthetic Urine Used In Preparing For Mars Mission

As we know, unique properties of synthetic urine make it useful in a lot of fields of activity. For example, researchers widely use synthetic urine in their developments and a few days ago the news came of yet another such case.

The NASA partner German research center DLR studies the possibility of growing plants in the space with help of urine as a supply of the nutrients. And the substance used in these experiments is synthetic urine, since it is more convenient in terms of hygiene, ease of use and storage etc.

Reaching Mars and exploring it as a prospective habitable planet is something that the leading space agencies of the world are working upon, however much needs to be done yet. The main problem here is resupply, inasmuch as the population in Mars will depend on water, oxygen and food. But sending supply missions is not the best option, because they are expensive and take years. That is why NASA, which is already planning to send people to Mars in 2030s, is exploring the possibility of making this mission self-sufficient.

Growing food right on Mars is the most obvious solution in this situation and NASA in cooperation with DLS is preparing to test this possibility very soon. Next year these agencies plan to launch two greenhouse stations in space to understand better the impact of extraterrestrial gravity on plant growth. The mission will take one year and will consist of two parts. During the first 6-month period the satellite with greenhouses will simulate the gravity of earth’s moon, and in the second part it will accelerate its rotation to copy the gravity of Mars.

What Is Urine For?

To grow food, nutrients are prerequisite, and the urine of future Mars inhabitants can be used to get them. The researchers will send synthetic urine to space greenhouses to try growing plants with help of nutrients from it. Bacteria will be used to help break down the components of urine: ammonia into nitrites and further to nitrates, which are known as the perfect fertilisers for plants. A single celled alga Euglena Gracilis will be used to prevent the formation of harmful ammonia build-up.

The supply of these nutrients will be further regulated with the help of a microchip, which contains capillary electrophoresis (CE) system. This system is intelligent enough to gauge the need of plants in nutrients based on their growth stage and to fertilize them accordingly.

If the aforementioned research and development will succeed, Mars inhabitants will be able to grow plants and supply themselves with natural food using their own urine.

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Texas Is Going To Ban Synthetic Urine

Drug addiction is a serious social problem that needs immediate attention. It can lead to health problems, accidents and crimes. Despite having laws against the use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine etc., cases of drug addiction still continue to shoot up. Accessibility to the drugs as well as the use of methods to pass a drug test like synthetic urine are some of the factors that contribute to the increase in rate. Texas journalists conducted an investigation regarding the sale of synthetic urine.

Synthetic urine is a popular substance used to pass urine drug test and in Texas it was found to be legally sold and bought. One of the store clerks claimed that synthetic urine works, since he was able to benefit from the product, having negative drug test results every time he used it. Although some consumers like him have claimed that synthetic urine always give negative drug test results, some may not be as satisfied as they are. For instance, a woman who confessed of using drugs for a long time already was convicted of several crimes in February 2015 after failing the drug screening test using synthetic urine. She used low quality product, which was detected by adulteration check. Investigators tried to reach by phone the manufacturer of that product, but the spokesman only gave them an excuse and immediately hung up without explanation.

Every package usually includes a small bottle (usually 2-4 oz) with the yellow liquid and attached thermometer strip, as well as  a rubber band and a heat pack to keep synthetic urine warm. The product was brought to one of the San Antonio laboratories for examination where it successfully passed the standard test. However, the result was not conclusive since the owner of the lab said they have special test to check whether the urine is fake or not in case of suspicion. To prove this, he administered an adulterant test to the sample and the synthetic urine failed. But this adulterant test is usually carried out only in case of the lab recommendation to the employer when they have any suspicions with the sample given. Laboratories constantly innovate and develop drug testing technology to further enhance its sensitivity, however synthetic urine manufacturers are also improving their formulas to deceive labs and benefit customers.

Because of the growing controversy regarding the legality of synthetic urine, Texas State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer amended the House Bill 1212, including fake urine in the list of illegal synthetic substances. Martinez stated that it has to be illegal to distribute and manufacture synthetic urine with the intention of passing drug screening tests. Drug Court Magistrate Ernie Glenn supports the ban, however doubts it will have significant effect saying that drugs like marijuana, heroin, meth and others are already illegal, but people still using them despite prohibition.

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Researchers Used Synthetic Urine To Develop Test For Urinary Tract Diseases

According to latest science research from Analytical Methods, new urine testing tool, which was successfully tested on synthetic urine samples, can almost immediately recognize such dangerous illnesses like kidney disease and prostate cancer.

Notwithstanding that scientists from Brigham Young University have already developed a technology to monitor flow distances of urine in microfluidic devices, this newest discovery creates absolutely new model, which essentially extends the previous one. BYU researchers designed device, which can measure unamplified DNA analogs of miRNAs molecules. MiRNAs are specific biomarkers in human body whose quantity is changed in such abnormal conditions, like kidney disease and prostate cancers. After inserting nucleic acid receptors into microchannel surfaces, the scientists were capable to measure how the actual flow distance of urine depends on target concentrations of DNA in both synthetic urine and lab made samples.

Flow distance and time were found to correlate with target levels, and this was recognized as a signal of the existence of disease. A significant advantage of the newly developed tool is that it does not produce false positive results, as the extraneous synthetic materials in the urine never influence the flow of liquid throughout the pipes unlike the diseased biomarker.

As research team chief Adam Woolley said: “The aim was to identify these biomarkers at minimal levels, what usually can be at the early stages of the diseases where they are hardly starting to display, and thus difficult to detect. In specific, we’ve been searching for any DNA related to kidney diseases or prostate cancers.“

Like usual home pregnancy test identifies molecules in the urine that indicate pregnancy, this newly developed tool will be able to display not only the existence of miRNA molecules but their concentrations also.

Present ways of identifying these types of biomarkers are not economical and too much complicated to be widely used like bench top devices. The next stage of the research after testing on synthetic urine is to test the pipes on real human urine samples to check if the diseases can really be found using this method. The technology is patent pending now, but Brigham Young University is already working on improving it.

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New Report Shows Synthetic Urine Usage Increased In 2015

In accordance to workplace drug testing report of Diagnostic Laboratory Services (DLS), synthetic urine usage has increased in the 1st quarter of 2015 if compared to 1st quarter of 2014, but still stays stable at 0.9% from the last quarter of previous year.

Synthetic urine is a commercial product, which is created to calibrate drug testing equipment, but also used to hide illegal substance use in drug tests.

“We were a little bit amazed to see the increased level of synthetic urine usage as it reduced substantially last few years after we found a method to identify it in 2010. I could merely guess that there are new modern brands in the marketplace, which have improved undetectable formula, for example Quick Fix” explained Carl Linden, who is working as scientific director of toxicology at DLS.

Laboratory reports also about the most prevailing detected drugs trends: use of amphetamine, a lot more commonly called “meth”, has grown to 0.9% from 0.6% in 1st quarter last year, but did not increase from the last quarter of 2014 as compared to 1st quarter of this year.

“It’s a frustration. You can see one drug increase, another decrease, and you realize that it doesn’t actually going to end,” said Linden. “That’s a big problem, because drug use doesn’t look like reducing.”

Marijuana remains the most used drug and its detection, as the result that most often appears in workplace drug testing, remains stable this year at 2.5 %, similarly to the last quarter of 2014. Opiate usage decreased from 0.4% to 0.2%, and also cocaine has remained in the 0.2 - 0.3 % range for 5 consecutive quarters. DLS’ quarterly report usually includes data taken from seven to ten thousand tested samples.

Although few states already unallowed a number of kinds of ‘legal’ synthetic drugs, like bath salts, they cannot be subject of test during usual workplace drug testing procedure in accordance with federal and state rules. Nevertheless, in special cases, like demand of a physician, test for synthetic drugs can be conducted.

Diagnostic Laboratory Services is a medical testing laboratory that provides a wide range of routine and even hidden test services, including test for synthetic urine and other adulteration checks, as well as the latest forensic toxicology and drug abuse testing services in the Hawaii. The organization employs above 500 people and has branches all through Hawaii, Guam as well as Saipan.

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Synthetic Urine Helps Scientists To Develop New Diagnostic Technology

Fake urine remains an indispensable tool in laboratories for important experiments on methods of testing urine for early detection of different dangerous diseases.

Uric acid is not only the main part of quality synthetic urine, but also an important indicator of various disease processes in human system. When the body breaks down substances called purine nucleotides, uric acid is produced and normally dissolves into the blood and travels to the kidneys to be passed in urine. Both high and low levels of uric acid can indicate a malfunctioning of body processes. Low levels may indicate the inability of the kidneys to pass uric acid which may lead to kidney damage or multiple sclerosis. High levels may be an indicator of several serious processes such as, cardiovascular disease, metastasized cancer, disorders of bone marrow, gout, diseases which involve the breakdown of muscles, as well as several syndromes such as Lesch-Nyhan and Fanconi.

Another serious disease that is associated with the abnormal level of uric acid is the Preeclampsia, which remains a primary reason of maternal death in developing countries, and in view of the fact that its causes are still uncertain, early detection has continued to be a significant challenge. Preeclampsia is a complicated pregnancy condition which involves dangerously high blood pressure called hypertension, and may also include swelling in the face and hands, severe headaches, nausea, impaired kidney function, abdominal pain, weight gain, and changes to vision. Although signs of preeclampsia may progress gradually, the preponderance of its symptoms appear with sudden onset making early detection crucial for treatment options.

Important hallmarks of preeclampsia are protein in the urine and hypertension. Traditional methods used in detection of protein in urine, like fluorescence-based immunoassays, can take up to few days to produce results, lack the portability necessary to be accessible in developing countries, and are only useful in diagnosing preeclampsia during late stages.

Uric acid as a marker of hypertension has been increasingly identified as a potential early warning sign of preeclampsia, so scientists of Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia have now developed portable diagnostic technology, which uses electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect high levels of uric acid in urine. For enhanced detection of the uric acid molecules, the researchers developed a test surface with layers of gold and silver nanoparticles on a commercial carbon electrode. They applied voltage across the electrode boosting the interactions between uric acid and the surface. This process amplified the uric acid’s characteristic SERS signal.

The researchers have been tested several synthetic urine samples containing various uric acid concentrations under 1 millimolar (mM), in which a level of 0.4 mM or above served as a potential indicator of preeclampsia. These tests have detected a consistently linear correlation between the levels of uric acid and SERS signals, indicating that this diagnostic method has the potential to quantify the biomarker.

With uric acid level being an important indicator of health, in regards to early detection of preeclampsia, as well as other diseases and syndromes, the new portable screening method, which was invented by testing of synthetic urine samples, could have many potential benefits for healthcare in developing countries.

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Synthetic Urine Usage Increased

The use of synthetic urine in the workplace appears to be on the rise if reports from several states are anything to go by. Going by trendy names such as ‘Quick Fix’, this synthetic urine is easy to come by and is available in pharmacies countrywide over the counter. While numerous inconceivable ways of passing drug test have been discovered ever since the advent of drug testing, there now seems to be a surge in the number of reported cases. Case in point is the state of Hawaii that has seen a two fold increase in reported cases over the last one year leaving employers at a loss on how to deal with the situation.

This increase may be due to development of new formulas of this urine that are popping up in the market that are able to circumvent laboratory tests designed to detect even the best synthetic urine. Since most of these tests are relatively outdated with some dating back to 2010, they are at times unable to detect newest formulas. Such is the confidence manufacturers have in their products that they have gone as far as to advertise that they are virtually undetectable. Armed with a home drug testing kit, employees are able to test the reliability of the product purchased. Countless drugs from so called gateway drug marijuana, to hard drugs including opiates, cocaine and methamphetamine are given the all clear proving that synthetic urine works and giving employers sleepless nights as they ponder on the efficiency of those who work under them.

While some states require that persons under parole have a probation officer present when providing a urine sample for visual inspection, this law however, does not extend to the workplace and so employees can employ such tactics to evade a positive test. Observers are of the view that legal action needs to be taken to stem this vice with certain measures been proposed including banning of sale of these synthetic urine kits. That been said however, laws are in place in several states prohibiting their sale such as in Arkansas, Illinois and Maryland meaning possession and use of the synthetic urine is outlawed. While this may well help in resolving the situation, people will come up with cleverer ways of subverting the system and the debate continues about whether or not to ban these products. What with corrupt officials allowing employees to pass tests? Or more intrusive methods like self catheterization? It seems authorities will have a lot to do with people thinking of newer ways to pass tests. Knowing the methods in use to beat the system will undoubtedly come in handy if something is to be done to do away with cheating in drug tests.

All in all, with the demand for this ‘fake urine’ rising and the trend seemingly catching on in workplaces all over, it seems the argument to take these products offs the shelves becoming more popular. However, with others of a different opinion, and with the debate among lawmakers raging on, it looks like employees are set to enjoy the pleasures of synthetic urine for a while longer.

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