Spectrophotometric Analysis of Glucose
Introduction
Spectrophotometry is a commonly used scientific technique used to determine the concentration
of
... [Show More] absorbing species in a solution (Nilapwar, et. al. 2011). This method uses light to measure
relative quantities in a compound. Spectrophotometry is essentially to absorbance of light at a
given wavelength (South, 2019). Changing the wavelength will change the absorbance because
different wavelengths correspond to different colors of light. Spectrophotometry is commonly
used by biologists and biochemists to quantify cellular components of functional molecules
(Nilapwar, et. al. 2011). Other commonly tested samples in the body include cholesterol levels,
hemoglobin levels, and the focus of this experiment: blood glucose levels.
Blood glucose levels are important to study, especially in individuals with diabetes. Normal
blood glucose levels are maintained by insulin and glucagon hormones, controlled by the
pancreas (Güemes, et. al., 2016). Blood glucose is maintained via homeostasis and produces
symptoms if it rises or falls too far from the normal level of 80-120 ml/dL.
It is important to study blood glucose concentration because it is correlated to diabetes. There are
three main types of diabetes that result from defects in insulin secretion or insulin action. The
main organs affected by hyperglycemia, increased blood glucose levels, from diabetes are the
kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart, and blood vessels (American Diabetes Association, 2010). The three
types of diabetes are: type I (beginning in childhood), type II (associated with obesity), and type
III (occurs during pregnancy). Measuring blood glucose levels is important in all three types.
It is hypothesized that the glucose concentration of the unknown sample will fall within the STD
glucose concentration values and also fall within normal blood glucose levels.
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