Overcoming the challenges of mass-producing urine specific gravity determination goods that can easily determine the dehydration status of the elderly

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11241
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Muroran Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: OHIRA Yuichi 室蘭工業大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (00250522)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 熱中症 / 尿比重 / 脱水

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As we get older, we become less sensitive to the heat. Even at home, many elderly people are transported by emergency because they are dehydrated without being properly cooled by water intake and air conditioning. One of the reasons for heat stroke is that you do not know your own water status. By applying the knowledge possessed by the principal investigator, we created a float whose specific gravity was adjusted with polypropylene balls, stainless steel rods, and adhesives. The dehydration state can be determined by the ups and downs of the float in urine.
The yield of the floats produced so far was as low as 43%. Yield can be increased by using a micrometer that can measure up to 0.001 mm and a precision electronic balance that can measure up to 0.01 mg. In addition, the yield could be improved by up to 85% by re-verifying the accuracy of the precision electronic balance.

Free Research Field

化学工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

熱中症対策し死因として、こまめに水分を摂取すること、身体を冷やすことなどの指針が示されている。しかし、それでも熱中症で倒れる人が多い。この理由の一つとして、自分自身の水分状態がわからないことが挙げられる。高齢者が自身の水分状態を知る方法の一つとして、浮きの浮沈によって尿比重値を判定できるグッズがあれば熱中症による死傷者を減らすことができる。高齢者の健康管理だけでなく、スポーツや労働者の熱中症対策への波及も見込まれる。