Laboratory Experiment no.

1
Dialysis

INTRODUCTION
Dialysis is the reason we can remove toxic, metabolic wastemolecules from a patient with
diseased kidneys. Dialysis is the flow of certain solutes through a differentially permeable
membrane, which has pores that are slightly larger than a semi permeable membrane.
Remember, a semi permeable membrane is utilized in osmosis. Differentially permeable
membranes allow the passage of small molecules but not larger molecules. In the example of
removing toxins from diseased kidneys, small molecules such as urea and glucose are
removed from a patient's blood but large molecules such as proteins and starch are not.
During dialysis, arterial blood from the patient flows continuously through an instrument
that contains a long coiled cellophane tube (dialysis tubing) that acts as a differentially
permeable membrane. Surrounding this tube is a solution called the dialysate. The dialysate
is an aqueous solution containing isotonic concentrations of all the components that are to
remain in the blood, but none of the waste products. Thus, the concentration of waste
products is higher in the blood than the dialysate. Therefore, waste products flow from the
blood into the dialysate faster than they return and the isotonic solution flows into the
arterial blood to maintain a proper solute concentration.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:Goggles or safety glasses must be worn at all times in the
laboratory.
Benedict’s solution is toxic by ingestion. In the event of skin contact, wash the affected
area with water. Wash your hands after any direct contact and wash your hands at the
conclusion of the laboratory period.
Iodine reagent will leave yellow-orange stains on your hands that will not wash off. Take
care in handling the solution. Iodine is poisonous by ingestion. Wash your hands after any
direct contact and wash your hands at the conclusion of the laboratory period. Any stains
that do not wash off your hands will not be harmful to you.

DISPOSAL
Disposal should be in accordance with local regulations.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Materials required
250-mL beaker 12 test tubes dialysis tubing string 1.0% starch solution 10% glucose
solution 5% sodium chloride solution Benedict’s reagent Iodine reagent 0.1 M silver nitrate
solution in a dropper bottle
Procedure
In this experiment, starch, glucose, and sodium chloride (salt) solutions are placed in dialysis
tubing, then the dialysis tubing is placed in distilled water (dialysate). The solution inside the
tubing and the dialysate will be tested with Benedict's reagent, iodine reagent, and silver
nitrate solution in order to determine which components have diffused through the
differentially permeable membrane and which have not.
Note: In place of the dialysis tubing, we will be using water cellophane that would simulate the
action of a semi-permeable membrane.
1. Obtain a 200 mm piece of dialysis tubing. Place it in a beaker of distilled or deionized
water and allow it to soak for several minutes.
2. Obtain a clean 20 x 150 mm test tube and fill it half full with distilled water.
3. Remove the 200 mm piece of dialysis tubing from the beaker of water and tie a tight knot at
one end, so the tubing will hold liquid, and open the other end.
4. Using a 1.0% starch solution fill the opened tubing a little less than half way. Using a
10% glucose solution, fill the dialysis tubing to within 35 mm of it's top. Using a 5%
sodium chloride solution, fill the remainder of the dialysis tubing to within 25 mm of it's
top.
5. Twist the top of the dialysis tubing closed and tie it with a piece of string.
6. Use distilled water to rinse any spilled solution from the outside of the tubing.
7. Place the tubing, knotted end first, in the large test tube containing distilled water.
8. Let the dialysis tubing remain undisturbed for a minimum of twenty minutes.
Observation of solutions for testing for the presence of glucose, starch, and chloride.
Benedicts Test 1. Using four test tubes, add eight drops of distilled water to test tube A,
eight drops of glucose solution to test tube B, eight drops of starch solution to test tube C
and eight drops of 5% sodium chloride solution to test tube D.
To each of these test tubes add four drops of Benedict's reagent and mix the solution.
Record the initial color of the solution in each of these test tubes. Place all four tubes in a
hot-water (boiling) bath for three minutes. Record the final color of the solution in each of
these test tubes. Keep these solutions in order to compare these results with your experiment
results.
Iodine Test 1.Using four test tubes, add eight drops of distilled water to test tube 1, eight
drops of glucose solution to test tube 2, eight drops of starch solution to test tube 3 and
eight drops of 5% sodium chloride solution to test tube 4.
To each of these test tubes add four drops of iodine reagent and mix the solution.
2. Record the color of the solution in each of these test tubes.
3. Keep these solutions in order to compare these results with your experiment results.
Chloride Test 1.Using four test tubes, add eight drops of distilled water to test tube A-1,
eight drops of glucose solution to test tube A-2, eight drops of starch solution to test tube
A-3 and eight drops of 5% sodium chloride solution to test tube A-4.
To each of these test tubes add one or two drops of 0.1 M AgNO3 . 2. Record your
observations of the solution in each of these test tubes.
3. Discard the solutions in the proper waste containers and clean the test tubes. Rinse the
tubes with distilled water.
Testing your dialysis experiment for the presence of glucose, starch, and chloride.
After the dialysis tubing has soaked in water for a minimum of twenty minutes.
1. Test your dialysate with Benedicts reagent, as you did in the Benedict’s test, above. 2
2. Test the solution inside your dialysis tubing with Benedicts reagent, as you did in
the Benedict’s test, above.
 3. Compare both of these to your test tubes labeled A, B, and C.
4. Test your dialysate with iodine reagent, as you did in the iodine test, above.
5. Test the solution inside your dialysis tubing with iodine reagent, as you did in the
iodine test, above.
6. Compare both of these to your test tubes labeled 1, 2, and 3.
7. Test your dialysate with 0.1 M AgNO3 solution, as you did in the chloride test,
above.
8. Test the solution inside your dialysis tubing with 0.1 M AgNO3 solution, as you
did in the chloride test, above.

Clean Up
At the conclusion of the experiment, clean all apparatus and glassware with soapy water.
Rinse with distilled or deionized water before putting glassware away.

Laboratory Activity adapted from:

http://chymist.com/Osmosis%20and%20Dialysis.pdf

Name: Andy Roddick C. Tolentino Section: BSN 1-B

Data Sheet (for Dialysis Activity)

Test Initial Color

Color After Presence of Presence of Presence of
heating Glucose (+/-) Starch (+/-) Chloride (+/-)
Benedicts test with BLUE BLUE + - -
Deionized water BLUE STANDAR + - -
D BLUE
Glucose solution BLUE ORANGE + - -
Starch solution BLUE LIGHTBLU - + -
E
NaCl solution BLUE BLUE - - -
Dialysate BLUE BLUE - - -
Inside the water Light BLUE ORANGE + + +
cellophane
Iodine with YELLOW ORANGE + + +
Deionized water Light ORANGE - - -
ORANGE
Glucose solution YELLOW LIGHT - + -
YELLOW
Starch solution BLACK BLACK + + +
NaCl solution YELLOW LIGHT + - -
YELLOW
Dialysate YELLOW LIGHT + + +
YELLOW
Inside the water BLACK BLACK + + -
cellophane
silver nitrate with ORANGE LIGHT - + -
ORANGE
Deionized water ORANGE LIGHT + - -
ORANGE
Glucose solution BLUE BLUE - - -
Starch solution BLACK BLACK - - +
NaCl solution Light YELLOW + + -
YELLOW
Dialysate BLUE STANDAR + - -
D BLUE
Inside the water Light BLUE ORANGE - + +
cellophane

Analysis Questions:
1. What is the purpose of the following and what indicates a positive result?

a. Benedict’s test – on Benedict’s test the result become negative, because of sodium
and chloride

b. Iodine test – Iodine test result become positive because of the mixture of chloride
and glucose thats why it turns to yellow

c. silver nitrate test – silver nitrate test result became positive because of distilled
water that drops in to sodium chloride

2. What does it imply as there were changes with the result prior the dialysis process and
after the dialysis process?
- It imply that there were changes because of the color and the heat
3. What molecules diffused through the dialysis set up (inside the water cellophane)?

- Nucleic acid because the dialysis set up inside the the water cellophane change its
color

4. What molecules remained inside the dialysis tubing (water cellophane)?

- The proteins remained inside the water cellophane tubing because the color did not
change

5. Of the molecules that diffused through the dialysis tubing (water cellophane), did all
molecules diffuse out? Why or why not?

- Not all molecules diffused out because the other molecules remained on the water
cellophane like proteins and etc.

6. Did water diffuse out of the dialysis tubing (water cellophane)? Why or why not?
- Not because the water stay inside the water cellophane and the color nothing change

7. What type of membrane does the dialysis tubing (water cellophane) represent?
- Dialysis tubing is a sem-permeable membrane, usually made of cellulose acetate

8. Cite some other examples of the importance of dialysis

- The importance of the dialysis is when your kidney fail, dialysis keeps your body in
balance by: removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in
the body.
 9. How would you compare this to the dialysis as associated with the human body?
- Its likely the same because doctors also do like what is shawn in the dialysis
experiment.

Conclusion: