Measuring water content of feces by the Karl Fischer method

Abstract

The analysis is based on removal of water into a mixture of methanol/chloroform (1/2), after dispersion of the stool by sonication in presence of solvent. An aliquot of the solution thus obtained is placed in the measuring cell of a Karl Fischer apparatus and then analyzed in the classic way. The advantages of this method (odorless, precise, reproducible) are described in contrast to other current methods. In addition the same organic solution can also be used in determining the lipid content of stools.