For urine samples, which is the recommended short-term storage condition?

The recommended short-term storage condition for urine samples is freezing. Freezing urine samples helps preserve their integrity and prevents the decomposition of certain substances, thereby maintaining the reliability of any tests that will be performed on them later. This is particularly important for biochemical analyses, as many compounds can degrade or undergo transformation at higher temperatures.

While refrigeration is an option for some samples, it may not be sufficient for all analytes, especially if the storage period extends beyond a few hours. In contrast, freezing significantly slows down any bacterial growth and biological processes, ensuring that the sample remains representative of the original state.

The other storage options, like temperature-controlled or room temperature storage, do not provide the same level of preservation for urine samples in the short term, potentially leading to altered results when the samples are analyzed later.