Relation of organic and inorganic substances in formation of urolyths

Abstract

Macro- and microscopic structural features of human urolyths have been studied to reveal the relation between organic and inorganic components and the role of the latter in the process of urolyth formation and growth. The combined study of the shape, color, surface, mineral and organic composition, and internal structure and zoning of 788 urolyths has been performed. Crystallomorphological, polarization-optical, X-ray-diffraction, electron-microscopic, chemical, neutron-activation, and computer technologies of study of the urolyth structure have been used. It has been found that macroscopic characteristics of uroluths (color, shape, surface, and size) did not reflect the chemical composition of urolyths. In the structure of abundance of urolyths in Tomskand the Tomsk Region, oxalates (58%) and urolyths of complex mineral composition (29%)  prevail. It has been found that an urolyth is an organomineral aggregate having the internal structure formed by a rhythm of alternation of organic and inorganic layers and the character of arrangement of individual mineral crystals, and the internal structure is independent of the chemical composition of the urolyth and  uniform in urolyths of different chemical composition. The most part of urolyths has a mixed (44%) or druzy (35%) type of crystal arrangement and the  combined (45%) or grainy (31%) rhythm of alternation of organic and inorganic components.