Chemistry and Biochemistry Academy

appreciating the world of chemistry and biochemistry : Mass Balance In Juice Treatment(Sugar Processing I... : In Sugar Processing industry, after clarification in clarifier, mass balance commence(the first recycling scheme in sugar processing industr...

In Sugar Processing industry, after clarification in clarifier, mass balance commence(the first recycling scheme in sugar processing industry), when the juice remained in the mud/sediments are recycled to the fresh incoming juice in the mills section. If 40,000 liters/hour of juice is charged in the process, and it is indicated that 90% of the juice overflows to the evaporators as clear juice from clarifier, and in the clarifier, 5% of clear juice overflow after addition of floculant. Now you are required to calculate the rate  flow of the recycled juice. That is juice that is recycled from rotatory vacuum filter to the mills. For you to solve this problem, first you have to draw the diagram(if you can figure it in your head then it's ok) with all available information and unknown which in this case is the amount of juice recycled to the mills to be mixed with fresh mills for the next processing. Then calculate the amount of expected product to be formed(clear juice). Write equa...

It is very important if you know how sugar cane juice is treated in sugar processing industry. First and foremost lets understand what sugar in the market is. Commercial sugar is a type of carbohydrate called dissacharide(sucrose). It is a compound that is formed from one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose joined by a glycosidic bond at alpha-1-carbon of glucose molecule to 2-beta carbon of fructose molecule. This means that sucrose is a non-reducing sugar. Why? because there is no free reducing ends on both glucose and fructose molecules  that can accept the electrons to be reduced, all are utilized in the formation of the glycosidic bond, that is keto- group at carbon number two of fructose and aldehyde group at carbon number one of glucose molecule. Don't  get confused when I talk about alpha- or beta- I'm just referring to the orientation of the hydroxyl groups(anomeric hydroxyl group) at carbon number one of glucose or carbon number two of fructose, when hyd...

appreciating the world of chemistry and biochemistry : Know what lipstick is composed of!! : Lipstick is a cosmetic people apply on their lips to promote attractiveness. But what does it is made up of? it is composed of insoluble dye...

Lipstick is a cosmetic people apply on their lips to promote attractiveness. But what does it is made up of? it is composed of insoluble dye, wax(usually beewax) and oil(castor oil). this makes it to be stiff thus can easily be applied on the lips. The insoluble dye prevent it from being dissolved by the saliva, also some of the lipstick react with the skin amino acids hence, that is why lipsticks can show different color when it is in  its bottle and when it is applied on the lips. when it react with amino acid of the skin it form a different color. It is always advisable to read the labels on the bottle of lipstick before you applied on your lips. Because it can contain some chemicals which you are allergic to or toxic. 

appreciating the world of chemistry and biochemistry : Do you know fake tans can be made from glucose!! : Fake tan is cosmetic use by some people to decorate their bodies. When it is applied on the body it takes approximately  one week then it we...

Fake tan is cosmetic use by some people to decorate their bodies. When it is applied on the body it takes approximately  one week then it wears out. What does it compose of? and how can it be made from glucose? Chemical component is dihydoxy acetone which is a three carbons ketone compound in which hydoxyl group is attached at carbon number one, at carbon number two is a keto-group while at carbon number three a phosphate group is attached. From glycolytic pathway we know that at step four we have DHAP(dihydoxy acetone 3-phosphate) and aldehyde 3-phosphate which are derived/formed from fructose 1,6-bisphosphate catalyzes by fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase. These two compounds can be converted to one another by an enzyme(isomeraze enzyme). At this particular point DHAP can be directed to a path in which dephosphorylation occurs to yield dihydroxy acetone(fake tan). Fake tan acts on skin by reacting with amino acids of the skin thus forming a permanent color on the skin but since the ski...

This is a mind boggling thing, both glycerol and water are hydrophilic. So how can their mixtures be separated. Glycerol is a three carbons compound having three hydroxyl groups attached to it, that is at carbon number 1,2 and 3 respectively. Which method can be employ to separate them. We can use distillation, filtration.....Anybody with suggestion? as we brainstorm!!

Aspartame is a dipetide molecule(protein) form between two amino acids phenylalanine and aspatic acid. it is a sweetener, it is believed to be 200 sweeter than sugar. It is also added to beverages but there is a disbelief that it can cause blindness due to methanol compound that is produced during its digestion. In its digestion it is broken up into phenylalanine and aspatic amino acid and a molecule of methanol. The CONFUSION started here about the methanol which is produced. Methanol is dangerous when it is in excess in the body but is also important because it is needed in the body to help in synthesis of DNA.Our bodies get both ethanol and methanol from foods we eat which help our body processes. So aspartame also provides this compound(methanol) same as other food, thus it can not provide excess methanol in the body which can cause blindness. Therefore, consuming aspartame is not dangerous!!

The process involves burning of banana leaves into white ashes. There is a kiln that it is designed for burning the leaves. After burning the banana leaves a given amount of the ash is measured into a basket lined with a clean jute bag and placed on a drum of two horizontal rods. The ashes are molded up around the sides of the basket to leave a depression in the center to ensure proper draining of caustic solution(potassium hydroxide solution). Quantity of warm water about twice the volume of the ashes put in the basket is slowly added to the ashes allowing the ashes to absorb much water as possible before adding more water. After the ashes have absorbed enough water, brown lye(CAUSTIC SOLUTION) begins to drop slowly from the bottom of the basket into the tray or a drum under it, as more water is added on the ashes. The dripping must be slow enough to allow maximum dissolution of sodium hydroxide in the ashes. When no more solution drops, the lye obtained is put back in the baske...