Effect of Concentration of Green Potato Peels Juice Mixed with Table Sugar and Instant Yeast on the Balloon Volume.

Abstract

Plants of the Solanum genus, including potatoes, produce toxic substances called glycoalkaloids to protect themselves against pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and insects. This study examined the effect of different juice concentrations from green potato peels on a balloon volume. The balloon was inflated by CO₂ gas produced during aerobic respiration in yeast. I expected a lower balloon volume in a yeast solution with a higher juice concentration because I assumed the juice has a high amount of glycoalkaloids, which have a toxic effect on many organisms. In this study, I conducted three trials. In every trial, I measured balloon volume for six solutions mixed with yeast (water, 64-fold dilution of juice, 8-fold dilution of juice, 4-fold dilution of juice, 2-fold dilution of juice, non-diluted juice). I analyzed the data with the One-Way ANOVA test. Contrary to expectations, data analysis showed that the means of balloon volumes from different solutions are not significantly different (ANOVA test p-value = 0.196). The non-significant result was due to the study’s limitations or the lack of toxic effect on yeast from glycoalkaloids in the juice. Further studies are necessary to learn about the effects of glycoalkaloids on yeast.