Illinois Junior Academy of Science - Yearbook (Urbana, IL)

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The compounds were next subjected to a battery of qualitative solubility tests in solvents ranging from non- polar organics tcarbon tetrachloride, dimethyl ketonel to ionic inorganics Caqua regia, sodium hydroxidel. Lithium tetraphenylboron is partially soluble in the greatest number of experimental solvents, but sodium tetraphenylboron is completely soluble in the most. In general the solubility de- creases with increasing cation radius. Because of the lack of solubility of the compounds, the amount and kinds of tests able to be run are severly limited. Conclusions were drawn that the bond between the tetraphenylboron ion and the involved cation is ionic and that the hydration energies of the compounds are low. The ion itself must have a tetrahedral structure. To form four equal covalent bonds, the boron ion must undergo hybridiza- tion. Since the boron ion has no 'd electrons, the only form aglailable is a spa hybrid which always forms a tetrahedral s ape. Yeast-Built Proteins CHRISTINE REC Madonna High School IIOI Chicago Sponsor: Sister Mary Alvernia IIKIIIE j cimnumuaunns Ullll IYIIIMIIIB X 'N The purpose of my project is to determine the proba- bility, as well as value, of growing yeast on petroleum to determine if the yeast can synthesize proteins from this source, to be used as a food supplement in counteracting the growing food shortage in the world today. I first began by attempting to grow the most common yeast, baker's dry yeast, in small amounts in the oil. I was unsuccessful because of the lack of oxygen. This was rem- edied with a system of tubes in which air was pumped in. After a good growing period, the yeast was centrifuged and separated from the various oil bases. Chromotograms were made from the different types of yeast cultures showing the presence of proteins. Upon comparing the control, I found the chromotograms proved the presence of others amino acids than those found in the control. More work will have to be done in this area to determine the kinds of amino acids that yeasts can synthesize from different types of oil, and perhaps supply all vitally needed proteins for the human body. This type of work conducted on a larger scale can perhaps solve protein needs in poverty stricken countries. A Determination of the Amino Acid Content ot Insulin by Thin Layer Chromatography DAVID STUMM CLAIRE ETHINGTON West Senior High School Aurora Sponsor: Richard Ebeling The purpose of this project was to determine the amino acid content of insulin by Thin Layer Chromatography. Insulin is composed of two long peptide chains held to- gether by three disulfide linkages. In order to separate the amino acids, the sulfur bonds must be oxidized and the peptide linkages severed. This was accomplished by per- formic acid oxidation and resulted in a solution of amino acids. Once this solution was obtained, it was spotted on a Thin Layer Plate and an organic solvent was allowed to rise through the plate. When this solvent had risen the desired distance, the plate was then rotated 90 and a second solvent was allowed to rise an equal distance. . After elution was complete, the plate was sprayed with Ninhydrin and formed a colored complex with the acids. When the spots were visible, the Rf value tdistance spot moved divided by the distance solvent movedl was calculated and compared to a previously arrived at set of standards. By these comparisons, the amino acid content of insulin was determined. By this procedure 17 of 18 amino acids were identified. Brief: The Mold Resistance Factor ot Apple J-uice MICHAEL SANTELL Loyola Academy Wilmette Apple juice shaken with Cand then separated froml benzene was compared to regular apple juice. It was found that the apple juice shaken with benzene became moldy quicker. Also, over a period of a month more mold grew in the benzene treated apple juice. The assumption that benzene removed from apple juice a mold resisting substance was made. Steps were carried out to partially isolate this substance. After evaporating large quantities of benzene that had

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ently from a narrow starting zone in a special pourous medium. We used an apparatus we built ourselves to experiment the problem whether propane is a successful carrier or mobile phase in gas chromotography. We concluded that it is an undesirable gas for our experiment. CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUPER SNOOPERH A constant temperature oven is used with a series of tubes connected throught the enclosure. The carrier gas is first preheated to a desired heat in the tubes which are in the oven. Then the carrier gas is mixed with the injected substance X. The preheating takes place in tubes bent in an intestine type shape using 12 feet of tubing. The gas is then brought out of the oven and put back in while the mixing is taking place with substance X. This gas moves into the glass tubing filled with dreft tpink colorl. The dreft filters the ions. The filtering tube is about 21 feet long. From the filtering tube the gas and new ions then move to the hypo- dermic needle where the mixture of ions are burnt. The burning device was built with wood and copper wire, and a filed off hypodermic needle. APPLICATIONS The controversy aroused partially by publication of Silent Spring has contributed to the rapid development of techniques for analyzing pesticides. The ultrasensitive elec- tron capture detector, capable of detecting quantities in the range of 10-12 gram, can identify insecticides used on vege- tables even after the produce has been washed and placed on supermarket shelves. Bache and others have determined that tomatoes which received four pounds of 2,5-dichloro- benzoic acid iamibenl per acre contained about 0.03 part per million of this insecticide on harvesting. li PER .OOPE The Determination ot the Amino Acid Content in Legumes by the Process ot Thin-Layer Chroma- tography MARY Kmlcwooo my Lawrenceville Township High School Lawrenceville Sponsor: Sam Siegel fThis exhibit was a finalist at the 17th International Science Fair held in Dallas, Texas in May, 1966.3 In my project I attempted to find the analysis of the amino acids in various species of the Leguminosae by the process of thin-layer chromatography. The process of thin-layer chromatography is a new and valuable technique of analyzing various biochemical com- ponents of leaves. One of the most important procedures to be followed is the standardization of known amino acids to our process and facilities. The main equipment included two aquaria Cconverted to air-tight chromatography tanks with the use of paraffin and vacuum greasel and a special designed stainless steel support pans. After working with thin-layer chromatography, I've been able to conclude that both quantitative and qualitative amounts of amino acids can be determined: the process seems to be accurate, proven by the same repetition of the Rf valueg free amino acids and protein amino acids can be dcterminedg and that some amino acid identification can be made by color analysis. Because of the large scope in the field of thin-layer chromatography, I have just begun my work. In the future, I hope to continue it and expand it into further detail. I hope to be able to identify specific legumes to the amino acid content and in the much distant future, I hope to be able to identify the phenolic substances in legumes and identify them to species. Investigation, Characterigation, and Determination ot Group I Tetraphenylboron Compounds and Tetraphenylboric Acid PATRICIA JO'U'RNEY JANET BROCK HOLLY LITHGOW West Senior High Aurora Sponsor: Mr. Richard Ebeling The tetraphenylboron ion is becoming increasingly popu- lar in spot tests for micro-quantities of all types of basic organic nitrogen compounds and in the determination of potassium in various substances. Because little is known about the tetraphenylboron ion, research was undertaken on Group I compounds of this radical. An original method was used to obtain the compounds. Tetraphenylboric acid was prepared by use of a cation ex- change column and a sodium tetraphenylboron solution. The chloride of the Group I salt was added to the acid to pre- cipitate the desired compounds. Infra-red spectroscopy certified that the aromatic rings were still intact and that the intended compounds had been prepared.

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been shaken with apple juice, a residue was left. When added to normal apple juice it was found that the mixture was at least 11 time more resistant to mold tfrom a time standpointl than plain apple juice. Benzene is a very general solvent and it would be desirable to dissolve the mold resisting benzene extract in a less gen- eral solvent. Methanol was tried. Part of the extract was soluble in methanol and part was not. An experiment showed that the methanol soluble part acted as the resistance factor. In conjunction with the experiments infra-red and ultra- violet spectograms were made. These showed that the com- poundfsl acting as the resistance factor must be an organic aliphatic moleculetsl. Also, addition proof that the methanol soluble part of the benzene extract acted as the resistance factor was obtained. It is hoped that the resistance factor can be completely isolated and identified. It may find a use as an anti-fungal agen . i l l f Q.. lmmunoelectrophoresis in Animal Serum LENORE POLLAR'D l8l Sacred Heart School Hubbard Woods Sponsor: Vera R. Madgey v :' Q: .fi After working with animal serums, I found that dogs have more gamma-globulin in their blood than do cats, and that chickens have more albumin than dogs. My work of analyzing blood serums would seem to in- dicate that this technique holds promise for diagnosing blood diseases in animals. The Effects ot Fluoride on Liver Enzymes AN-NE LONERGAN Boylan High School Rockford . 'wtf' , .... N-f-- ' .,- , The purpose of this science project was to determine the pathological effects of fluoride. To be specific, fluoride is supposedly an enzyme inhibitor. So by maintaining mice on different concentrations of fluoridated water and then by removing their livers and performing the transaminase enzyme test, it was hoped that the effects of fluoride on liver enzymes could be determined. It was found that, first of all, fluoride affected the weight, size, and coloration of the livers. And secondly it apparently, gradually increased the enzyme activity instead of inhibiting it. A secondary purpose was to see if the transaminase test could be run on the actual liver homogenate instead of the usual blood serum. This was determined by homogenating each liver to obtain a thick serum. First, different amounts of substrate were reacted with the homogenate and tested. Then by serial dilutions the enzyme concentration of the homogenate was decteased with saline. The 1f100 dilution was found to be satisfactory. So a liver homogenate may be used instead of a blood serum if it is diluted to the right proportion. The Redox Reaction Between CuClf and Aluminum VICTOR El.lAS Niles North High School When aluminum is immersed in copper sulfate solution, a slow redox reaction occurs in which copper is plated out. The addition of chloride ions speeds the rate at which copper is plated out and causes a gaseous mixture to be released. The purpose of my project is to gain an understanding of this reaction and to determine the role of the chloride ion in the reaction. This information cannot be exactly determined, but by using chemical kinetics, several predic- tions regarding the role of the chloride ion can be considered. In my project I tried to gain enough knowledge of the rate law to be able to hypothesize a reaction mechanism. From this I acquired an enhanced understanding of the role of the chloride ion in the reaction.