A scientist suspects that the food in an ecosystem may have been contaminated with radioactive nitrogen over a period of months. Which of the following substances could be examined for radioactivity to test the hypothesis?
a. the cell walls of plants growing in the ecosystem
b. the hair produced by humans living in the ecosystem
c. the sugars produced during photosynthesis by plants growing in the ecosystem
d. the cholesterol in the cell membranes of organisms living in the ecosystem

Respuesta :

Answer: A and B

Explanation: The hair stores an amazing amount of nitrogen, so it makes sense that an increase above the normal concentrations contained in it would serve to detect abnormal levels of nitrogen in the environment, especially if it was radioactive, as it would also contain radioactive nitrogen. Contaminants have been

reported to affect cellular organelles and components such as cell membrane, which destabilizes the lipid bilayer conformation. Cells counteract this effect by reducing the nonbilayer phospholipid fraction to increase membrane stability this phenomenon can also be used in detecting contamination.

The following substances could be examined for radioactivity to test the hypothesis - B. the hair produced by humans living in the ecosystem.

The hair contains keratin which is a protein. Proteins are made up of amino acids that contain nitrogen in their structure that can be easily replaced by radioactive N.

  • the radioactive nitrogen will get incorporated into the newly forming proteins in the hair of humans. So, they can be tested for radioactivity.
  • The cell wall is made up of cellulose which is a polymer of glucose and has no nitrogen in its structure  
  • Cholesterol is a type of lipid with a sterol nucleus. It has no nitrogen in its chemical structure  
  • The sugars produced during photosynthesis do not have any nitrogen in their structure. The structure of glucose can confirm this, therefore, they will not incorporate the radioactive nitrogen in them

Thus, The following substances could be examined for radioactivity to test the hypothesis - B. the hair produced by humans living in the ecosystem.

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