Skip to main content
nounstudy
BIO218

General Biochemistry Laboratory II

  • Sciences
  • 200 level
  • 2 credit units
  • 42 pages
  • 7 units

This course introduces students to general biochemistry laboratory practices. It covers topics such as concentration calculations, carbohydrate reactions, and chromatographic separation of sugars. Students will learn to estimate glucose in biological fluids, analyze lipids, and separate/purify nucleic acids. The course also includes estimation of phosphate and titratable acidity, providing a foundational understanding of biochemical laboratory techniques.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
40 hours
Maths
Basic
Content
Practical
Practical work
Yes
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Laboratory reports
  • Final examination

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

BIO218 · UNIT 1: GENERAL TEXTS IN CONCENTRATION CONTENTS

Molality: The molality is the number of moles of solute in one kilogramme of solvent. Such a solution is said to have a molality of one with respect to the solute.

What you should be able to do

  1. Perform concentration calculations for reagent preparation
  2. Identify different carbohydrates using qualitative tests
  3. Apply chromatographic techniques for separation of sugars and lipids
  4. Estimate glucose levels in biological fluids
  5. Separate and purify nucleic acids from different tissues
  6. Determine phosphate and titratable acidity in urine

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Biochemist
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Research Assistant
  • Quality Control Analyst
Where it is applied
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Food Science
  • Clinical Diagnostics
  • Biotechnology

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids

    Unit 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids

    Requires careful handling of reagents and precise measurements to avoid DNA degradation.

  • Module 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content

    Unit 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content

    Understanding the principles of pH, buffers, and titratable acidity is crucial for accurate analysis.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: General Texts in Concentration
    • Unit 1: General Texts in Concentration · 2 hours

      Understand molarity, molality, and normality.. Practice calculations for preparing solutions of different concentrations..

  2. Week 2Module 2: Reactions of Carbohydrate, Thin Layer of Chromatographic Separation of Sugar
    • Unit 2: Reactions of Carbohydrate, Thin Layer of Chromatographic Separation of Sugar · 2 hours

      Perform Molisch, Fehling's, Barfoed's, and Benedict's tests.. Observe color changes and interpret results..

  3. Week 3Module 2: Reactions of Carbohydrate, Thin Layer of Chromatographic Separation of Sugar
    • Unit 2: Reactions of Carbohydrate, Thin Layer of Chromatographic Separation of Sugar · 2 hours

      Prepare TLC plates and spot sugar samples.. Develop chromatogram and calculate Rf values..

  4. Week 4Module 3: Estimation of Glucose in Biological Fluid (Blood and Urine)
    • Unit 3: Estimation of Glucose in Biological Fluid (Blood and Urine) · 2 hours

      Perform Folin-Wu method for glucose estimation.. Compare results with standard glucose solutions..

  5. Week 5Module 3: Estimation of Glucose in Biological Fluid (Blood and Urine)
    • Unit 3: Estimation of Glucose in Biological Fluid (Blood and Urine) · 2 hours

      Perform Benedict's titration to estimate sugar in urine.. Adjust urine dilution as necessary..

  6. Week 6Module 4: Analysis of Lipids for Double Bond and Free Fatty Acids Contents
    • Unit 4: Analysis of Lipids for Double Bond and Free Fatty Acids Contents · 2 hours

      Determine iodine number of a lipid sample.. Compare results with known standards..

  7. Week 7Module 5: Separation of Lipids by Thin Layer Chromatography
    • Unit 5: Separation of Lipids by Thin Layer Chromatography · 2 hours

      Prepare TLC plates and spot lipid samples.. Develop chromatogram and identify lipid fractions..

  8. Week 8Module 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids
    • Unit 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids · 2 hours

      Extract RNA from yeast using phenol.. Precipitate RNA with alcohol..

  9. Week 9Module 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids
    • Unit 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids · 2 hours

      Isolate DNA from pig spleen using buffered saline.. Remove protein with chloroform/amyl alcohol mixture..

  10. Week 10Module 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids
    • Unit 6: Separation and Purification of Nucleic Acids · 2 hours

      Estimate DNA concentration using diphenylamine reaction.. Measure absorbance at 595 nm..

  11. Week 11Module 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content
    • Unit 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content · 2 hours

      Measure urine pH using a pH meter.. Estimate phosphate content using molybdic acid and ascorbate..

  12. Week 12Module 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content
    • Unit 7: Estimation of Phosphate and Titratable Acidity Content · 2 hours

      Titrate urine with standardized NaOH to determine titratable acidity.. Observe color change using phenolphthalein indicator..

  13. Week 13Final Revision
    • Review of all units · 4 hours

      Review all units and laboratory procedures.. Practice calculations and techniques..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Review concentration calculations from Unit 1 and practice similar problems.
  • Create concept maps linking carbohydrate reactions from Unit 2.
  • Practice TLC techniques from Units 2 and 5.
  • Understand the principles behind glucose estimation methods in Unit 3.
  • Review the steps involved in nucleic acid separation from Unit 6.

Questions students ask about this course

What is BIO218 about?

This course introduces students to general biochemistry laboratory practices. It covers topics such as concentration calculations, carbohydrate reactions, and chromatographic separation of sugars. Students will learn to estimate glucose in biological fluids, analyze lipids, and separate/purify nucleic acids. The course also includes estimation of phosphate and titratable acidity, providing a foundational understanding of biochemical laboratory techniques.

How many units does BIO218 have?

BIO218, General Biochemistry Laboratory II, has 7 units across 1 module, over 42 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is BIO218?

BIO218 carries 2 credit units, at 200 level in Sciences.

Is BIO218 hard?

BIO218 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly practical work, and it has a practical component.

How long does BIO218 take to study?

About 40 hours of study, spread across its 7 units.

How is BIO218 assessed?

BIO218 is assessed by assignments, laboratory reports and final examination.

What can I do with BIO218?

Biochemist, Laboratory Technician, Research Assistant and Quality Control Analyst.

More courses in Sciences

ESM234

Soil Resources

2 credit units

Open ESM234
CIT237

Programming and Algorithms

3 credit units

Open CIT237
PHY202

Modern Physics I

2 credit units

Open PHY202