COMPOSITION OF FECAL WATER - COMPARISON OF INVITRO DIALYSIS WITH ULTRAFILTRATION

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 86  (6) , 1557-1561
Abstract
A simple method for the collection of stool water using dialysis membrane tubing placed directly into the feces is described. When the membrane was place in pure aqueous solutions or in homogenized feces stored at 4.degree. C, equilibration for solutes was complete in 24 h. Exchangeable ions, short chain fatty acids, osmolality and pH were measured in the fecal water of 8 normal subjects and 36 patients affected by different diarrheal diseases. The composition of fecal water collected by this method was almost identical to that obtained by ultrafiltration of feces immediately after collection. Differences, when present, were minimal (.apprx. 4%) and practically irrevelant. This in vitro dialysis method is simple, inexpensive and seems particularly suitable for the measurement of osmolality, electrolytes and short chain fatty acid concentrations in large numbers of fecal samples.