The earthquake in Sichuan province in China in 2008 caused major devastation and

Question

The earthquake in Sichuan province in China in 2008 caused major devastation and death. There were survivors, including one man who claimed that he was trapped under a collapsed building for 6 days, and survived without access to water by drinking his own urine. Other survivors of natural disasters have also claimed that they have survived without access to water by drinking their own urine. However, the Army Field Manual specifically advises against drinking urine, seawater or blood(! ). While attempting to hydrate with urine (which is 95% water) may work in the short term, it will ultimately fail.

(1) Why is this the case ? In your answer, focus on kidney physiology and forget about the 'ick' factor, if you can.

(2) How might you treat urine to make it potable (drinkable) ? (Hint: NASA has figured this out for the International Space Station, but there are other solutions too)

Explanation / Answer

The consumption of urine is called Urophagia. The urine is rich with salts, so continuous drinking of urine worsens the activity of the kidneys. Here, you stated that one man who claimed that he was trapped under a collapsed building for 6 days, and survived without access to water by drinking his own urine.

1)

For first one to two days, his urine has 90% of water and other 10% has waste products like ions and urea, etc. He repeatedly consumed his urine for several days. Therefore, ultimately as days progress the urine becomes concentrate and kidneys cannot filter the urine. Due infiltration these substance would stay in the blood causes failure several metabolic and organ functions.

Based on kidney physiology, the kidney will be damage due to accumulation of ions in nephrons and his aquaporin’s (water absorbing pump) at Henle loop.

2)

If we would subject the urine for osmosis, then we can make it potable.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse T
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.