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Occasionally, after someone's been, there is an awful acrid smell lying about long after them. What causes this? The food that they've eaten? Urea less dilute due to dehydration?

If it helps I've noticed it only with older males.

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Acrid or like ammonia? – kmm♦ Nov 20 '12 at 22:45
Acid (not ammonia on the basis that it doesn't smell like cat urine). – Alyosha Nov 20 '12 at 22:49
If you have received an acceptable answer, please be so courteous and select the appropriate checkmark. – leonardo Nov 26 '12 at 16:23

2 Answers

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The odor comes from urea. Urea will slowly undergo displacement to become ammonia, but when it's fresh, it has a strong odor. Other odors do come from food, notably coffee and (in some of the population) asparagus.

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Urea could be one. Also, be aware that there are other sources of urine. Asparagus is a famous one. I am still amused because I once thought something was really off with me ( a male, not older yet) when my urine smelled. I panicked and then found out that it was because I had consumed asparagus in a prior meal.

I am not sure if urine starts smelling differently in certain older males, but take diet into consideration.

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