Enzymes Lab Report

1800 Words8 Pages
Enzymes: Chemical Degradation of Albumin through Light Absorbance Mariel Melchor, Itzae Facio, Sarahi Iturriaga, Sarai Chairez, Evelyn Tovanche University of Texas at El Paso BIOL 1107 October 9, 2014 Horacio Gonzalez Abstract In this enzyme lab, we worked to observe enzymatic activity by measuring how fast pepsin degrades albumin by observing the changes in absorbance of albumin using a spectrophotometer. The wavelength set through a spectrophotometer is the controlled variable, which was set at a wavelength of 420 nanometers. In order to observe the degradation of albumin, we first experimented on pure albumin, then we added pepsin to it, then pepsin and sodium bicarbonate, and, lastly, pepsin and acetic acid. Based…show more content…
xi). Pepsin, a degrading enzyme found within the acidic conditions of the digestive system, was tested for the degradation rate of Albumin. Sodium bicarbonate and pepsin were added together to one Spec tube as well as acetic acid and pepsin to another Spec tube. Moreover, the control variable was the addition of pure albumin into a third test tube. Albumin is a protein that is found in egg whites and it is known to have “important storage and nutritional functions” (Gonzalez, 2014, p. 47). Pepsin works by breaking down proteins into smaller “building blocks” that can be broken down later on by other enzymes. Pepsin is also a major enzyme in the stomach. In our experiment, we used a spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer is a device “that measure absorbance and transmittance of solutions” (Gonzalez, 2014, p. 44). This device uses a light source that reflects light at different chemical reaction rates. We used this device in order to get specific results for our experiment. In order to get the most specific results, we had to calibrate the spectrophotometer each time we tested our results after fifteen minutes. This was one of the most important parts to our

More about Enzymes Lab Report

Open Document