Melamine is found in many items belonging to households, schools, canteens,
paints, and hospitals as well as fertilizers, and seed coatings. Food contaminated with
melamine can potentially cause renal problems or formation of bladder and kidney stones
since melamine-cyanuric complexes have been reported to cause renal tubule blockage.
In this study, Raman microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were used to determine
the composition of melamine-oxalate crystals formed in the presence of physiological
components such as uric acid, L-cystine, urea, and creatinine. Crystals were made in
water and artificial urine with melamine and oxalic acid at molar ratio of 1:10 together
with a physiological component. The formation of melamine-oxalate crystals in water
and artificial urine suggests that melamine oxalate can interact with physiological
components to form three component crystals.