Chemical Stress on the Tonoplast of Beta vulgaris Taproot Cells.

Chemical Stress on the Tonoplast of Beta vulgaris Taproot Cells.

Abstract

This is an experiment on how chemical stress effects cell membranes, specifically the tonoplast of Beta vulgaris taproot cells.   This experiment involved the treatment of the aforesaid cells with different concentrations of an acetone solution, and testing the resulting solution for absorbance of light by betacyanine, using a spectrophotometer. It had been hypothesized that the higher the concentration of acetone in the solution, the higher the concentration of betacyanine in the resulting solution. For the most part the hypothesis was correct, however there was an error involving the blanking of the samples in the spectrophotometer.

Introduction

The experiment, betacyanine leakage due to chemical stresses on taproot cells of Beta vulgaris, was a direct follow-up of the previous experiment, betacyanine leakage due to temperature stresses on Beta vulgaris taproot cells.   In the temperature experiment it was discovered that extremes in temperature caused betacyanine leakage, these extremes were anywhere below the freezing point of water, and above approximately 40°C.   One speculation as to the cause of the breakage of the tonoplast in the temperature experiment was the expansion of water (when the temperature was below freezing) and by the denaturing of proteins in the membrane, thus weakening the membranes structure and causing it to break (when the temperature was above 40°C).

Based upon the previous results and speculation it was decided to test for the responses by the membrane to different chemicals. The chemical chosen was acetone. It was chosen for its harshness, acetone is used as the primary ingredient in nail polish and paint removers. It was thought that a clear and concise picture of how chemical stress effects cell membranes would be achieved by using different amounts of acetone in an acetone-water solution. As beginning scientists a strong chemical would yield sharp results, if a weaker chemical were to be used results may...