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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1996  > November  >
In the Laboratory
The Synthesis of Proteins-A Simple Experiment To Show the Procedures and Problems of Using Radioisotopes in Biochemical Studies
David M. Hawcroft
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, De Montfort University, PO Box 143, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
Cover
November 1996
Vol. 73 No. 11
p. 1030
Abstract
Courses of organic chemistry frequently include studies of biochemistry and hence of biochemical techniques. Radioisotopes have played a major role in the understanding of metabolic pathways, transport, enzyme activity and other processes. The experiment described in this paper uses simple techniques to illustrate the procedures involved in working with radioisotopes when following a simplified metabolic pathway. Safety considerations are discussed and a list of safety rules is provided, but the experiment itself uses very low levels of a weak beta-emitting isotope (tritium). Plant material is suggested to reduce legal, financial and emotive problems, but the techniques are applicable to all soft-tissued material. The problems involved in data interpretation in radioisotope experiments resulting from radiation quenching are resolved by simple correction calculations, and the merits of using radioisotopes shown by a calculation of the low mass of material being measured. Suggestions for further experiments are given.
More Information
*  Citation
 Hawcroft, David M. J. Chem. Educ. 1996 73 1030.
*  Keywords
 Biochemistry
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 August 5, 1999
February 21, 2006
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