What Goes in Must Come out: The Story of Uric Acid

Abstract

Birds and reptiles convert waste ammonia into uric acid, while mammals excrete urea, with only small amounts of uric acid ending up in urine. This column explores the varying roles of uric acid and important calcium and sodium salts, and introduces pi-stacking interactions in solid-state structures.

Keywords

• guano
• uric acid
• education
• crystal structure
• Urate salts