Testing how chemicals affect HCG pregnancy test results

[_BaBy_PhAt_]

I am doing a biology science fair. Here is my plan: I am going to ask my pharmacist for HCG containing pills, and put them into 5 different cups - one which will remain as a constant I can compare the others to. To the other four, I will add different chemicals, then test them for HCG using pregnancy tests.

I need to know what I should research. I already obviously know I need to research how pregnancy tests work, and about HCG. Is there anything else I am missing that might be significant?

More importantly however, I need to know which chemicals I should add so that they can somewhat alter the results.

Please help me out, this is my first time doing a science fair.

 

[pattylou]

Well, HCG is a hormone, and might possibly be degraded by enzymatic contact lens cleaner. I don't know if that would be a good thing to have in your test or not.

Acid (vinegar) and base (baking soda) seem like other possibilities.

You would probably want to figure out whether these additions are destroying the HCG, or simply inhibiting the pregnancy test from working (which is an ELISA, and therefore may be sensitive to the various compounds all on its own.) If you can't demonstrate one way or the other, at least explain how you would demonstrate it if you had suitable equipment etc.

Also, it may be the pregnancy tests only work in urine (which is the normal way of testing after all.) You might see if the HCG will react properly in water, or if urine makes the pregnancy test work better. (Sorry, I know that idea is gross.)

 

[_BaBy_PhAt_]

Thank you so much. That helped!
If anyone has any other ideas, I'd also appreciate them!