TARTRAZINE

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Context

• Recently, the yellow food dye tartrazine has been used by a team of researchers to make the skin of living mice temporarily transparent.
• This will give the scientists a view into the internal organs without having to go through painful and invasive procedures.

Details

About the study

• This technique alters the refractive indices of tissues, reducing light scattering and making the skin appear transparent.
• When a concentrated solution of tartrazine is applied, the dye absorbs light in a way that allows it to pass through the skin, making it appear transparent.
• This process is completely reversible, as rinsing the dye off restores the skin to its original state.

Potential Applications

• Simplifying procedures like blood draws
• Improving treatments like laser tattoo removal
• Enabling non-invasive early cancer detection
• Enhancing the visibility of veins for medical procedures

Trivia 1:

In optics, the refractive index of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium. The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, or refracted, when entering a material. Refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in a given medium.

Trivia 2:

The electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic radiation, organized by frequency or wavelength. The spectrum is divided into separate bands, with different names for the electromagnetic waves within each band. The visible light spectrum is the segment of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can view. More simply, this range of wavelengths is called visible light. Typically, the human eye can detect wavelengths from 380 to 700 nanometers.

What is Tartrazine?

• Tartrazine is also referred to by the names E102, FD&C Yellow No. 5.
• It is an artificial lemon-yellow-colored azo dye.
• It is used chiefly as a food dye.
• Tartrazine dye is a component of a number of foods, drinks, cosmetics, and medications.
• The dye is combined with other dyes in a mixture of various shades of green or yellow-green.

History and Use

• It was synthesized for the first time in the late 19th century from coal tar derivatives.
• It began to be used in Food industry because it had a very attractive yellow color. 
• It is used in various types of food products such as: Beverages, Confectionaries, Savory snacks and Baked goods.
• Tartrazine may also be found in personal care products such as: Soaps, shampoos, Toothpaste and Cosmetics.

Health Hazards 

• Some people are prone to reactions after having tartrazine, and such reactions include but are not limited to hives, itching, or asthma. 
• Research related to tartrazine has pointed out its potential connection with hyperactivity or ADHD in children
• Tartrazine could be more sensitive to people with diseases like migraine and asthma.

Sources:TheEconomicTimes

 

PRACTICE QUESTION Q: Consider the following: 1.Transverse in nature. 2.Particle-like. 3.Can be absorbed, reflected or scattered. Which of the above is/are characteristics of electromagnetic waves? a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3   Answer: c Explanation: ●1st statement is correct: They are transverse; the oscillations of electric and magnetic fields lie perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. ●2nd  statement is incorrect: Electromagnetic radiation has characteristics of a wave and a particle (wave-particle duality). It can be explained by a photon in some circumstances. ●3rd statement is correct: Electromagnetic waves can be reflected and refracted-like water waves-and diffracted-spread out. Electromagnetic waves can be absorbed, transmitted, or scattered by materials according to the nature of the matter and the wavelength of the wave.