Abstract
We made use of the apparatus described in the preceding paper to study the electrochemical behavior of adrenalin.
If adrenalin in aqueous solution is added to the middle division of our apparatus, a current of 1 Milliamp. and 4 volts will effect a migration of this substance in the direction of the electrodes. It will be noted that adrenalin passes through the Norton Alundum discs used as diaphragms as well as through various Zsigmondy filters. All qualitative determinations of adrenalin were made by means of iron chloride, gold chloride and Folin's reagent. Quantitative experiments showed that the migration of adrenalin in the direction of both poles occurs unequally. After the addition of alkali or alkaline salts to a solution of adrenalin hydrochloride a greater amount of adrenalin migrates in the direction towards the positive pole, while the addition of acid or acid salts causes a more marked migration in the opposite direction. The quantitative determination was carried out by the method of Folin as modified by Hitchcock and Benedict, using the colorimeter of Dubosque. 1 , 2 , 3
We also made investigations concerning the electrolysis of adrenalin. We investigated first the influence of various electrode materials on the rate of decomposition of adrenalin. Carbon electrodes seemed to be the least efficient electrode material, while the metals Ni, Pt, Ag, Cu, Fe, Hg, represent a series with increasing efficiency. The rate of decomposition of adrenalin by electrolysis in the 3 divisions of the apparatus is shown in the following table, which may serve as an example of many other similar cases. The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 25° C. using Pt electrodes.
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