Peeling Away Problems

The Antioxidating, Antimicrobial, and Antimutagenic Effects of Tree Bark

Glossary

Absorbance: A measure of the amount of light which passes through a colored liquid or solid. 

Agar: A gelatin like substance used as a culture medium for microbiological work.

Ames Test: A biological assay that finds the mutagenic potential of chemical compounds.

Antioxidant: A chemical that prevent oxidation of other chemicals.

Assay: A procedure where a property of a system or object is measured.

Autoclave: A pressurized heating device used to obtain sterile media or destroy microbially contaminated material.

Bacteria: Single celled microorganisms.

Biomolecule: A chemical compound that naturally occurs in living organisms.

Carcinogen: A substance that can cause cancer.

Centrifuge: A mechanical device that rotates an object at high speeds.

DNA: Short for deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA carries and transfers the genetic information in most organisms.

Free radical: Molecules made of oxygen that result in cell damage.

Hardwood: A deciduous or flowering tree.

Incubator: A controlled environment system which is used to keep a bacterial culture at a set temperature for a certain amount of time.

Microbe: A microorganism.

Mutagen: A substance that changes the genetic information of an organism. Substances that are mutagenic are also carcinogenic.

Pathogenic: A biological substance that can cause disease or illness.

Polyphenol: A  type of antioxidant characterized by the presence of several phenol functional groups.

RPM: Short for rotations per minute.

Sodium Azide: A highly toxic chemical consisting of one sodium and three nitrogen atoms.

Softwood: A coniferous tree.

Spectrophotometer: An analytical device that can measure the absorbance of light at certain wavelengths.

Vacuum Evaporator: A device that can evaporate solvents at lower temperature with the aid of reduced pressure.

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