coprostanol

9.9

A substance made when people digest food that shows human sewage in water or soil

noun
/ˌkɒprəˈstænɒl/

Specialized

: coprostanol

When coprostanol is observed in environmental sediment, it is considered to be from fecal sources only, while the summation of cholesterol and cholestanol represents sewage and non-sewage sources.
coprostanol and 24-ethylcoprostanol
coprostanol and dihydrocholesterol

Examples

Coprostanol and 24-ethylcoprostanol are generally present at a ratio of approximately 3:1, with individual concentrations greater than 1 g/g dry weight in feces. Total sterol content in human feces ranges from 3 to 9 g/g dry weight.

Academic text (2006)
Work by Leeming and Nichols (1996) has demonstrated the potential of utilizing 5-cholestan-3-ol (coprostanol) as a key biochemical marker.

Academic text (2006)
In many environmental and fecal samples, 24-ethyl coprostanol appears as a major peak (Figure 2).

Academic text (2006)
Lagoon slurries contain coprostanol and dihydrocholesterol as the primary sterols, while sitosterol and cholesterol are relatively minor components.

Academic text (2006)
Coprostanol, cholesterol, dihydrocholesterol (cholestanol), stigmasterol, sitosterol, and stigmastanol were identified and quantified by the GC/MS method.

Academic text (2006)
Coprostanol is commonly used in environmental studies to detect coprostanol levels in water samples.
The presence of coprostanol in soil can indicate nearby human waste disposal, making it a useful marker for sewage contamination.
Scientists analyze coprostanol levels in fecal matter to track human influence on the surrounding environment.

Surface Forms

coprostanol singular

coprostanols plural

Morphology

coprostanol = stanol (opaque) = copro + stanol

Both elements are technical combining forms (copro- 'feces' and the chemical term 'stanol'), so the meaning is not derivable by average learners.

Etymology

Coprostanol comes from the Greek root copro- meaning 'dung' and the ending -stanol, which shows it is a fat-like chemical related to cholesterol. So coprostanol is a 'dung' form of cholesterol made during digestion, and that is why scientists test for it to find human sewage.