User:Al3722a/Notebook/JAFT/2019/09/04

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Day 2 of the Controlled Experiments The older test tubes (first sample group) had a slight color after being heated and removed from the oven. However, the newer test tubes did not have a color change. Our group hypothesized that this difference is due to a lower concentration of amino acids in the second set of test tubes. We believe the reason the first set of test tubes changed color is because of the higher concentration of amino acids in this set. For the first set of test tubes, the scale inside the 207 lab was used to mass the amino acids. It is possible that this scale was showing a lower number than what was actually on the scale thus inflating the amount of amino acids put into these test tubes. For the second set of test tubes (second sample group), the scale in Dr. Zesto's lab was used giving an actual concentration of 1 mg for the amino acids, thus having a lower concentration than the first sample group created. Figures 1A and 1B: - Figures 1A and 1B are pictures of the test tubes after they were removed from the oven. The older test tubes (first sample group) are a bit darker than the second set of test tubes (the newer ones). After observing the test tubes, the pH meter was used to find the different pHs of each test tube that had a change in color. The histidine test tube had a pH of 3.67, the lysine test tube had a pH of 3.61 and the arginine test tube had a pH of 3.71. The samples were then run on a UV/Vis machine. The hope was to have a peak around 550nm which would indicate the presence of gold nanoparticles, however, no peaks appeared on the scans. While continuing the controlled experiment, the group also researched our own project to do. We decided on a protocol which told us how to attach gold nanoparticles to DNA to try and stabilize the structure.