Product description
The degree of pectin methylation (PMD) determines the number of negative charges, which is closely related to the adsorption of heavy metals by plant root cell walls and resistance to heavy metal toxicity. The content and methylation degree of cell wall pectin affect the plant cell wall's resistance to heavy metal toxicity. After saponification treatment, methanol is released from pectin methyl ester bonds. Methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde under the action of alcohol oxidase, which then reacts with 2,4-pentanedione to produce a colored substance with a specific absorption peak at 412nm; meanwhile, galacturonic acid undergoes a condensation reaction with carbazole in sulfuric acid solution to form a purple-red substance with a characteristic absorption peak at 530nm. The pectin methylation degree (PMD) is calculated as the ratio of methanol production to galacturonic acid content.
Additional Materials and Equipments Required
Visible spectrophotometer, 1mL glass cuvette (path length 1cm), water bath, pipettes, ethanol, concentrated sulfuric acid, mortar.