Osmometrisk

Osmometrisk is an adjective used in Scandinavian languages to describe anything related to osmometry, the measurement of osmolality in liquids. In English, the corresponding term is osmometric. Osmometry determines the concentration of osmotically active particles in a solution, commonly reported as osmolality in milliosmoles per kilogram (mOsm/kg).

Measurement is based on colligative properties and the use of osmometers. The main methods are vapor-pressure osmometry, which assesses the lowering of vapor pressure by dissolved solutes, and freezing-point depression osmometers, which determine osmolality from the freezing point of the solution. Some instruments also employ cryoscopic principles or membrane-based approaches, but the two primary methods are vapor pressure and freezing point.

Applied in clinical chemistry and biomedical research, osmometry is used to evaluate body fluids such as plasma and urine, to monitor hydration, kidney function, and to detect osmotic gaps caused by unmeasured solutes like alcohols or mannitol. Osmolality measurements complement calculations from major solutes (sodium, glucose, urea) to assess osmotic balance.

Terminology and related concepts: osmometer, osmolality, osmolarity, and osmolality gap are related terms, with osmometry focusing on osmolality measurements. The term osmometrisk may appear in laboratory manuals, Swedish-language texts, and scientific articles discussing osmometry.