Calcium Oxalate Crystallization: Influence of pH, Energy Input, and Supersaturation Ratio on the Synthesis of Artificial Kidney Stones

Abstract

The removal of kidney stones can lead to small residual fragments remaining in the human body. Residual stone fragments can act as seeds for kidney stone crystallization and may necessitate another intervention. Therefore, it is important to create a consistent model with a particle size comparable to the range of kidney stone fragments. Thus, the size-determining parameters such as supersaturation ratio, energy input, and pH value are examined. The batch crystallizations were performed with supersaturation ratios between 5.07 and 6.12. The compositions of the dried samples were analyzed with Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The samples were identified as calcium oxalate monohydrate with spectroscopic analysis, while calcium oxalate dihydrate being the most prominent crystalline species at all supersaturation ratios for the investigated conditions. The aggregate size, obtained with analytical centrifugation, varied between 2.9 and 4.3 μm, while the crystallite domain size, obtained from XRD, varied from 40 to 61 nm. Our results indicate that particle sizes increase with increasing supersaturation, energy input, and pH. All syntheses yield a high particle heterogeneity and represent an ideal basis for reference materials of small kidney stone fragments. These results will help better understand and control the crystallization of calcium oxalate and the aggregation of such pseudopolymorphs.

GeoBioMed perspectives on kidney stone recurrence from the reactive surface area of SWL-derived particles

“…Regarding fracture patterns, the original CAF- and SRAF-defined crystalline architecture of each of the PCNL-derived fragments that were subjected to ex vivo SWL treatment in the present study, creates a geometric framework within which SWL-induced fracture propagation patterns can be identified. These crystalline fabrics range from large hundreds of μm-diameter single crystals to tens of nm-diameter nanocrystals that form concentric nanolayers 93 . Further, these SWL-derived particles exhibit rectangular, pointed, concentrically spalled, and irregular particle geometries.…”

“…For example, factors that influence diagenetic phase transitions and reactive surface area for each Wentworth size class of SWL-derived particles can now be tested using controlled experimentation of urine-stone-microbe-renal tissue interactions within microfluidic testbeds such as the GeoBioCell 38 – 42 , 79 . Of specific utility is the small size of SWL-derived particles, which fit easily into GeoBioCell microfluidic flow chambers and channels, and therefore permit real-time quantitative tracking of diagenetic phase transitions controlled by a wide variety of interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes 41 , 93 , 95 . Potential examples include 39 , 42 : (1) real-time systematic analysis of the effect of microbiome- and host human-derived protein catalysis by promotional and inhibitory macromolecules (i.e., anionic proteins and glycosaminoglycans) on crystal aggregation and cell attachment 10 , 11 , 31 , 42 , 51 , 96 ; (2) controls on crystal growth morphology, mineralogy, chemistry, aggregation, layering, dissolution, and recrystallization; and (3) the influence of organic acids such as citric, oxalic and formic acids excreted by specific bacteria and fungi entombed in CaOx kidney stones on stone dissolution.…”

Size Frequency Distributions, Fracture Patterns, and Reactive Surface Area of Shock Wave Lithotripsy-Derived Particles: A GeoBioMed Perspective on Kidney Stone Recurrence

“…Regarding fracture patterns, the original CAF-and SRAF-de ned crystalline architecture of each of the PCNL-derived fragments that were subjected to ex vivo SWL treatment in the present study, creates a geometric framework within which SWL-induced fracture propagation patterns can be identi ed. These crystalline fabrics range from large hundreds of mm-diameter single crystals to tens of nm-diameter nanocrystals that form concentric nanolayers 91 . Further, these SWL-derived particles exhibit rectangular, pointed, concentrically spalled, and irregular particle geometries.…”

“…For example, factors that in uence diagenetic phase transitions and reactive surface area for each Wentworth size class of SWLderived particles can now be tested using controlled experimentation of urine-stone-microbe-renal tissue interactions within micro uidic testbeds such as the GeoBioCell [38][39][40][41][42]77 . Of speci c utility is the small size of SWL-derived particles, which t easily into GeoBioCell micro uidic ow chambers and channels, and therefore permit real-time quantitative tracking of diagenetic phase transitions controlled by a wide variety of interacting physical, chemical, and biological processes 41,91,93 . Potential examples include 39,42 :…”

Excessive Oxalic Acid Secreted by Sparassis latifolia Inhibits the Growth of Mycelia during Its Saprophytic Process

“…In order to analyze the components of the crystals formed on the surface of S. latifolia mycelia, crystal samples were detected with a Bruker D8 Venture diffractometer (Germany) using a previously established method with minor modifications [ 18 ]. Crystals were collected from the PDPA plates of S. latifolia after 40 days of incubation.…”