Interactions of Melamine with Physiological Constituents

Abstract

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.