This could seem a silly idea but my science teacher told me that blood was a really good catalysor. Anyone has more info on this, just by curiosity.
(she also told me to try to put some in phosphoric acid and see what happen)DeusExMachina - 17-1-2003 at 15:32
hmmmm.... I don't think so... and I also don't know about the H3O4P partmadscientist - 17-1-2003 at 16:49
What is it supposed to catalyze, though?Ramiel - 17-1-2003 at 19:20
Put a little of yourself into everything you do and you might be surprised by the results.I am a fish - 19-1-2003 at 11:40
Your teacher was probably refering to the fact that blood contains catalase, an enzyme that catalyses the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
Never the less, unless you fancy branching into amateur phlebotomy, I'd stick to manganese dioxide.
ChrisBlind Angel - 19-1-2003 at 21:00
I Am A Fish thank for the good answer, that make sense. But wouldn't these catalysing capacity could be harness to be usefull? I am a fish - 20-1-2003 at 05:42
Adding moderately concentrated (e.g. 100 vol) H2O2 to blood makes for an interesting (and disgusting) demonstration. For Health and Safety reasons,
it is now done using fake blood with catalase added.
Other than this, I can't see much use for blood as a chemical reagent.
(note that Catalase if found in virtually all organisms - another suitable souce for the above demonstration is yeast)
ChrisYi - 25-1-2003 at 14:34
IIRC Blood (well Heamoglobin) can act as a catalyst for luminol in chemiluminescent reactions. Hence luminol is also used in detecting blood that has
been washed away at murder investigations.
If I have time I'll dig out instructions for a demonstration of the reaction.
--
Yivulture - 19-1-2007 at 15:54
The luminol reaction is because of the Fe in the haeme group of hemoglobin.
I guess there are more chelated metals in blood too.Levi - 25-1-2007 at 18:09
If you're not a masochist you can also use a freshly cut potato slice to catalyze H2O2 decomp. I believe the responsible catalyst is
catalase here as well. Bubbles are evolved quickly from OTC 3% hydrogen peroxide. Remember, don't let the bubbles go to waste! A little volatile
hydrocarbon on top and a lit match makes a very nice woosh. vulture - 26-1-2007 at 15:16
Quote:
Remember, don't let the bubbles go to waste!
Such a magnificent thing to say! And only a chemist will value it.Pyridinium - 9-3-2007 at 21:29
Heme-bound iron has some catalytic activity in certain reactions. If you want to test this, don't bother sticking yourself with a needle... just buy
some raw, red meat and collect the "meat juice" (diluted blood).
You could use red meat itself, but any observed catalytic action could be arising from the enzymes that are still somewhat active in refrigerated
meat.
And only a chemist will value it.