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The Efficiency of Lactase


Objectives/Goals:
The goal of this experiment is to test the efficiency of lactase enzyme, with
varying concentrations and temperatures of lactose

Methods/Materials:

The materials used were: Lactose Sugar, Lactase Enzyme, Water bath, Distilled
water, Glucose test strips,10mL test tubes, 600 mL glass bottle, and dextrose.

1) The first test done was to test the glucose test strips
accuracy. The glucose test strips were able to test for concentrations of
glucose at 0.005M, 0.015M, 0.030M, 0.060M, and 0.110M. So, solutions of
dextrose, with these molarities, were made. Then they were tested using the
glucose test strips. The test showed the strips were accurate.

2) Then 2 litters of a 1M lactose solution was made. 3mL of the solution at room
temperature were tested with 2 drops of the lactase enzyme. The glucose test
strip was placed in the solution and the concentration was read off of
it.

3) Then 80mL of the solution was heated it up in increments of 5 degrees
starting at room temperature. Every five degrees the solution was tested for
glucose. This was continued until the maximum amount of glucose was detected.

4) The lactose solution was then decreased in increments of .2M. At each
concentration, the solution was heated up in increments of 5 degrees and tested
for glucose every 5 degrees.

Results:

When the concentration of the lactose is lowered, the temperature at which the
maximum amount of
glucose is tested becomes lower. So, at lower concentrations of lactose the
lactase becomes more
efficient.

Conclusions:
From the results of this experiment, the researcher can see that as the
concentration is lowered and as the
temperature increases of lactose, more glucose was detected. But, at lower
concentrations, the
temperature wasn't as high when the maximum amount of glucose was detected. More
glucose was
detected as the temperature increases because the bonds in the lactose are
weaker due to the heat. So, the
same amount of lactase will detect more glucose because the enzyme has less work
to do.