Foam test for bile salts and bile pigments:

Foam test for bile salts and bile pigments is a specific test used for the qualitative detection of bile salts and bile pigments in urine. There are other test as well which can be used to detect bile salts and bile pigments in urine. These tests are Gmelin’s test for bile pigments and Hay’s test for bile salts respectively.

Foam test procedure:

• Take 5 ml of urine in a test tube.
• Shake the tube vigorously and then examine.

Observation:

Appearance of distinct yellow or brownish foam will indicate the presence of both bile salts and bile pigments.

Precautions:

To obtain a better result, follow the below steps.

• Before start performing experiment make sure to wash the apparatus before and then after the experiment.
• As always, carefully handle all the chemicals in the laboratory.
• Avoid urine touching with hands while doing the experiment.
• Use test tube holder for holding test tube.
• The test tube used should be clean neatly and free of any dirt and chemicals because we will not get the proper result then, so try to use a clean and clear test tube for a correct result.
• After experiment place the apparatus in their respective place.