12 Nebraska Agricultural Exp. Station, Research Bui. 8. 
Table 6. — Reversibility of water absorption by gluten. 
A 
B 
C 
Wt. of disks after 
Original wt. of 
Wt. of disks after 
Cone, of 
transference to 
disks 
2 hrs. 
in acid 
acid 
0.1 N K2HPO4 for 1 hr. 
A 
B 
A 
B 
A 
B 
1.39 
1.23 
1.41 
1.20 
No acid 
1.14 
0.95 
1.30 
1.26 
3.21 
2.89 
0.002 N 
1.18 
1.16 
1.33 
1.22 
3.43 
3.54 
0.005 N 
1.22 
1.10 
1.39 
1.28 
3.57 
3.67 
0.01 N 
1.27 
1.17 
1.42 
1.24 
3.92 
3.67 
0.02 N 
1.30 
1.14 
1.29 
1.27 
3.90 
3.85 
0.04 N 
1.17 
1.15 
1.29 
1.29 
3.95 
3.69 
0.1 N 
1.21 
1.24 
1.31 
1.29 
3.69 
3.56 
0.2 N 
1.28 
1.26 
1.31 
1.30 
3.52 
3.46 
0.5 N 
1.35 
1.35 
Table 6 shows the reversible nature of water absorption by 
gluten. There are shown in Column A the original weights of 
two series of gluten disks, and in Column B their weights after 
remaining two hours in acetic acid solutions varying from 0.002 
N to 0.5 A^. In Column C are given the weights of the same 
disks after remaining one hour in 0.1 N dipotassium phosphate 
solution. These experiments show how the disks, after taking up 
water in the acid solutions to twice their original weight or more, 
give up the water in the salt solution. Not only do they reassume 
their original weight, but their original appearance and physical 
properties, as toughness and elasticity, as well. 
Table 7. — Effect of temperature on water absorption. 
Wt. of water absorbed in g. per g. 
Solution 
of moist gluten 
24° 
39° 
In water 
0.06 
0.09 
In 0.01 N HCl 
1.47 
2.01 
In 0.01 N lactic 
1.65 
2.66 
In 0.01 N acetic 
1.68 
2.79 
Table 7 is introduced to show the effect of temperature on the 
absorption of water by gluten. It shows that in acid solutions 
the higher the temperature the more the gluten swells. 
