Biological Membranes Lab Report

The effects of alcohol on Biological Membranes.

Introduction
In this experiment it will be analysed the damage alcohols can have on biological membranes. Membranes are made up of lipids and proteins. Membranes usually help maintain the balance in a cell as it holds all the cellular materials. There are various membranes and all have a variation of functions.
The tonoplast in beets, contains a water-soluble red pigment called betacyanin, this pigment is what gives the beetroots is distinctive purpleish red color. The betacyanin is soluble in water and insoluble in lipids. This means that the pigment is contained in the vacuole of the cell while it is healthy. If the consistency or integrity of the membrane is damaged the elements stored in

Ethanol can be found in alcoholic beverages. Methanol, is also known as wood clue, if exposed and gotten into contact with can cause blindness and even death in some situations. Propanol is the most toxic and dangerous and is fatal if consumed. These alcohols are toxic to membranes and can result in damage or death of the cell. Methanol, ethanol, and propanol are all alcohols, their only difference is in their number of carbon and hydrogen atoms inside the molecule. Methanol, has a molecule containing CH3OH it being the smallest, ethanol having more carbons and hydrogens than Methanol comes second, CH3CH2OH, and propanol, CH3CH2CH2OH, is the largest of the three molecules.

Aim: The aim of this experiment is to see the effects of different alcohols and concentrations on the biological membrane of the beetroot.
Research Question: How do different alcohols and concentrations affect the biological membrane of a beetroot?
Hypothesis: As the alcohols increase in toxicity and concentration, the damaging and breaking down of the membrane will increase leading to more red pigment being released into the solution causing the absorption of the solute to increase.

This being that through the concentrations 40% to 10% the absorption of the solute was rather low, although some spikes on the Ethanol, although an increase in the absorption at 40% in Methanol, which could show the beginning of the required concentration for the membrane to break down and let out the pigment. This could be due to that the Ethanol and Methanol was not able to disrupt the lipid bilayer and absorb the beetroots membrane that gives it it’s pigment. This showing that the time or concentration of the Ethanol and Methanol was not long or high enough for the pigment to be absorbed into the solution making the absorbance really low as there was barely any colour change on the solute. The membrane although not reacting with alcohol present and it making the water less polar, it is evident that the membrane is soluble in water and the levels are higher as the membrane was able to be absorbed by the water, increasing the solutes absorption. Propanol on the other hand was able damage the membrane with a concentration of 20% up, which caused at least 3 times the absorption rate.This is due to the spill of the pigment from the damaged membrane that was released into the solution. Showing a major effect and difference in results of absorption as the Propanol was able to damage the membrane enough for pigmentation to