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Composition of Bladder Stones in Rwanda
Author(s) -
POPELIER G.,
EECKHOUT E.,
DEKEYSER W.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1976.tb06642.x
Subject(s) - rubidium , calcium oxalate , atomic absorption spectroscopy , oxalate , zinc , chemistry , composition (language) , mineralogy , potassium , inorganic chemistry , physics , art , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , literature
Summary A small area of endemic bladder stone formation occurs in Rwanda, Central Africa. The X‐ray diffraction of 13 of these stones revealed that they were mainly composed of calcium oxalate monohydrate. By X‐ray fluorescence the presence of considerable amounts of rubidium was demonstrated which was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration of rubidium was about 2.5 times greater than that of zinc. The hypothesis that rubidium is an important lithogenic element is formulated. I t might explain this endemic bladder stone formation which is exceptional for Central Africa.