U of A scientists test the water on urine

Here's a study that's bound to make a splash.

Researchers at the University of Alberta announced Wednesday that they have pinpointed the chemical composition of human urine. And it's a lot more complex than you might think.

The seven-year study reveals that urine contains more than 3,000 chemicals referred to as "metabolites," which are the products of metabolism. Researchers claim the results will have "significant" implications for medical, nutritional, drug and environmental testing.

Biology professor David Wishart led a team of nearly 20 researchers, which examined more than 100 years of scientific literature about human urine.

Their findings have been published in an internet directory called theUrine Metabolome Database.

In a press release, the U of A said the new research will help develop new urine-based tests for a variety of diseases: colon cancer, prostate cancer, celiac disease and pneumonia.