Halting the Briggs-Rauscher Reaction
Description: When wheat sprout, liver, or potato extract is added to an actively oscillating Briggs-Rauscher reaction, the reaction ceases immediately, accompanied by effervescence of oxygen gas. The catalase in the extract decomposes the hydrogen peroxide in the Briggs-Rauscher reaction, causing it to stop oscillating.
Source: Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 68
Year: 1991 Vol: 68 Page: 57
Keywords: Briggs-Rauscher Reaction, Catalase, Hydrogen Peroxide, Inhibitor, Wheat sprouts, Liver
Rating: 
Hazard: Medium
- Acute toxicity hazard
- Skin corrosion hazard
- Aquatic toxicity hazard
- Serious eye damage
- Electric shock hazard
- Gas-producing reaction
- Inhalation hazard
- Corrosive to metals
- Carcinogenicity
- Specific toxicity – thyroid
Effectiveness: Good
- Results are clearly observable without guidance
- Clear contrast between system behavior
- High reliability
- Time to results is low
- Counterintuitive demo\experiment
Difficulty: Medium
- Use of reactive substances
- Procedures with some intermediate steps to results
- Volume-dependent addition for proper results
- Use of toxic substances
- Some careful manipulations required
Safety Precautions:
- Eye protection required
- Gloves required
- Use of UL approved three-prong plug and outlet
- Perform in a well-ventilated area
- Absorbent material on hand
- Prevent release of reagents to the environment
- Sodium bicarbonate on hand
- Sodium thiosulfate on hand
- Avoid exposure to dusts, mists, or vapors
Class: Biochemistry, Catalysis
Division: General, Biological Chemistry
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