electrolysis of saliva

[gbg112]

electrolysis of saliva , the other day i just thought what would happen if you where to do this . I worked out you would get Oxygen and Hydrogen but having little to no experience with anything to do with saliva i have no idea.

[Horza2002]

You might get oxygen and hydrogen from the water present in it...but it would depend on the pH as well...the enzyme amylase will have a different polarity depending on the pH so it might act differently. you might even be able to seperate other enzymes out as well

[gbg112]

You might get oxygen and hydrogen from the water present in it...but it would depend on the pH as well...the enzyme amylase will have a different polarity depending on the pH so it might act differently. you might even be able to seperate other enzymes out as well

 

Thats basicly what i want to know , since not all of the enzyme's are made out of Carbon Hydrgen Oxygen they have other thing in them. The same as with cheek cells ,calcium from the teach and other impurity's.

 

What i would like to find out is roughly what i should get if i did this?

[Theophrastus]

Well actually water makes up 99% of saliva's total composition, so your yield of other such proteins and whatnot, would be rather frugal. The remaining 1% consists primarilly of sodium, potassium, chloride bicarbonate phosphate ions and such, trace quantities of mucus, trace amounts of peroxide, thiocyanate, other antibacterials and such.

 

The main enzymes are a- amylase, lingual lipase, lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin immunoglobin a, and various lysozymes, as well as trace amounts of tons of minor enzymes. It also contains various suspended human cells, and trace amounts of a strong painkiller; opiorphin.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saliva#Contents

 

Here's a little more on the antimicrobial agents within saliva, if you're interested:

 

http://jdr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/full/81/12/807

[gbg112]

Well actually water makes up 99% of saliva's total composition, so your yield of other such proteins and whatnot, would be rather frugal. The remaining 1% consists primarilly of sodium, potassium, chloride bicarbonate phosphate ions and such, trace quantities of mucus, trace amounts of peroxide, thiocyanate, other antibacterials and such.

 

The main enzymes are a- amylase, lingual lipase, lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin immunoglobin a, and various lysozymes, as well as trace amounts of tons of minor enzymes. It also contains various suspended human cells, and trace amounts of a strong painkiller; opiorphin.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saliva#Contents

 

Here's a little more on the antimicrobial agents within saliva, if you're interested:

 

http://jdr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/full/81/12/807

 

Thanks , thats what i was looking for.

 

Just one more thing , Wouldn't the enzymes be broken down in the procceder.

 

ps: sorry for my bad english.

[Horza2002]

Depending on the volatge you used and the individual structres of the enzymes...they might be damaged...but enzymes are held together very strongly with bonds which need to be heated to around 50 degrees C before they start falling apart so I don't think they degrade

[hermanntrude]

I'd be extremely surprised if you get anything other than hydrogen, oxygen and perhaps a bit of gunk

[Theophrastus]

Yeah, and even if the gunk were to be prevalent enough so as to form a visible, insoluble mass of sorts, the sheer quantity of impurities would make it rather useless. (Don't forget that dietary impurities (what you ate) can affect the composition of saliva as well) However, as horza said, unless your current was high enough, I find it unlikely that the enzymes would be damaged. Though they may perhaps pose a problem for enzyme function, as the process might reduce/ oxidize the metal ion cofactor (if altogether possible), or other such groups at the binding site, which can screw with your enzyme. So I would say that the process would probably affect function moreso than structure.

Edited October 5, 2009 by Theophrastus

[gbg112]

I knew you wouldn't get anything useful of this.

Would the enzymes be pulled to the electrodes ?

 

Also can saliva be used for anything?

[Theophrastus]

Would the enzymes be pulled to the electrodes ?

 

Well yes' date=' but the rates of various enzymes may are rather slow, and variable; some taking much longer than others. (This could be exploited, given larger concentrations, but you'ld have to punch in the numbers) This can also depend on your choice of solvent, and what other substances are present.

 

Also can saliva be used for anything?

 

Aside from the physiological purposes in humans and animals, to which we are scarcely conscious of as it is, there are no other uses that I've heard of.

[Mr Skeptic]

Also can saliva be used for anything?

 

I mostly use it for moistening food and digesting starch and stuff. However, saliva does have some painkilling and antibacterial properties and epidermal growth factor (on the other hand, lots of bacteria live in the mouth).

[the guy]

I mostly use it for moistening food and digesting starch and stuff

hahaha

[gbg112]

hahaha

 

You are not the only one to laugh at that.

 

Could it be possible to extract the anti bacterial or pain killing substances (not for use since there won't be enough for use just to say i have done it.)

[Psycho]

Depending on the volatge you used and the individual structres of the enzymes...they might be damaged...but enzymes are held together very strongly with bonds which need to be heated to around 50 degrees C before they start falling apart so I don't think they degrade

 

Most enzymes will start to break down at 45C, but they will break down anyway due to the charge destroying all the comparatively weak electrostatic attraction within them.