When Kidneys Go Bad: Kidney Dialysis Research by Kristen McAlpine & Emily Norvell Mentored by Eric Mock and Tricia Lytton

Things to Know  Calibration A way to get data in a desired format from a related source  We found concentration by measuring the conductivity at known concentrations to create a formula for each salt  Concentration How much of an object is in a specific volume  PPM Stands for parts per million. Measures concentration  Conductivity Relates to the electric charge created by salt ions in water

 Micromhos The unit for conductivity  Equilibrium When ions are diffusing back and forth through the membrane at the same rate  “Blood” A solution of water and a salt compound either potassium chloride or potassium acetate  “Dialysis Fluid” Deionized water

About the Kidneys  In normal body conditions the kidneys: Removes wastes Removes high concentration of normal components Regulates chemical balance Secrete hormones

Artificial Kidneys  Blood runs through membranes  Dialysis fluid runs counter flow  Diffuse out toxins  Blood recycles  New Dialysis fluid

Dirty Blood Clean BloodClean Dialysis FluidDirty Dialysis Fluid

Objective  To experiment with different conditions Flow rate Different size toxins Changing flow rates during dialysis  To find the most successful conditions that Clean the blood the fastest Clean the blood the most thoroughly

Procedure 1.Red-with our smaller salt we ran the dialysis fluid slower than the blood 2.Dark Red- we ran the same salt faster than the blood 3.Purple – We increased the number that we increased the flow rate by two more every minute, up to 480, which is where the pump could not go any higher 4.Light Blue – We changed the “toxin” to a salt that has a larger ion attached to it 5.Dark Blue – With the larger toxin, we added 250 PPM to the dialysis fluid, to reach equilibrium sooner.

Results 1.Red – The salt concentration dropped quickly at the beginning, but slowed down drastically. 2.Dark Red – This one dropped the fastest and ended sooner than the red. 3.Purple – This was more linear, making it more successful at minimizing shock and time. 4.Light Blue – At the same speed of the smaller salt, this one took longer for the concentration to drop. 5.Dark Blue – This data is not very accurate due to an obstructed tube in the beginning and a faulty conductivity probe. The line starts to taper off as it reaches equilibrium at 250 PPM.

Conclusion  The smaller toxin passed through the membrane faster  Increasing the dialysis flow rate by a growing amount creates a more linear graph  A linear decrease in salt is the most effective  The faster the dialysis fluid flow rate the less concentration of toxins over time  Toxins in the dialysis fluid causes the blood to stop at that concentration