The Effects Of Alcohol On Respiration Of A Larval

Beetle
Eudy, Courtney; Enna, Sara
Schoolcraft College
18600 Haggerty Rd, Livonia, MI 48152

In this experiment we observed the effects of alcohol on the respiration

process of the larval beetle. We placed twelve larval beetles into an Erlenmeyer flask,
recorded the initial carbon dioxide every minute for fifteen minutes. We then placed
larval beetles onto a dish with filter paper covered in alcohol. The first reaction of the
larval beetles was to get off of the filter paper, we observed them crawling around the
filter paper attempting to get off of it. After letting the larval beetles stay in the dish for
ten minutes we moved them back to the flask to record the carbon dioxide levels, which
we recorded every minute for fifteen minutes. Our hypothesis was that if the larva is
exposed to the alcohol then the carbon dioxide would decrease. The hypothesis was
tested and the results were the complete opposite. The carbon dioxide levels increased
each minute that the fifteen minutes went on.

The treatment that we used for this experiment was alcohol. We were interested
in the effects it would have on the respiration process in the larval beetle. Alcohol can
have many effects on many different things in the body including, mitochondrial
functions, ion functions, and can even go as far as affecting the outer membrane of the
cell. There have even been studies that show concentrations of ethanol in the blood
increase sodium permeability of the plasma membrane and depress active sodium
transport by suppressing Na, K-ATPase activity (Blachley, 1985)
Cellular respiration is the process in which the food an organism consumes is
converted into energy. It stores potential energy in the ATP bonds. It breaks down the
food that is digested and changed it into energy. Respiration is vital for all living
organisms; there are two types of respiration, aerobic respiration, and anaerobic
respiration. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen and usually takes place in the
mitochondria of a eukaryotic cell. While anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen.
A by-product of cellular respiration is carbon dioxide. (Carter, 1996)
The alcohol affected the respiration process by almost doubling the rate of
carbon dioxide being produced that means the rate of cellular respiration then double of
the energy is being produced. With such a drastic change in the respiration process if
we kept exposing the larva to the alcohol we would have noticed more harmful effects
following. The larval beetles consume a great deal of food. Therefore, since they have a
rapid appetite when they were exposed to the alcohol their it was causing their
respiration process to also double in rate. We noticed a significant increase in their
carbon dioxide levels.

The treatment we are using is alcohol. We begin the experiment by using an

Erlenmeyer flask, we also are using a carbon dioxide sensor to record the change in
carbon dioxide. We calibrate the carbon dioxide sensor to ensure that our results will be
accurate. To establish the control treatment we then make sure the carbon dioxide
levels in the empty flask were between 300-500ppm (parts per million). We are placing
twelve larval beetles into the flask. After the larva is placed in the dish, we then insert
the carbon dioxide sensor into the flask; we record the carbon dioxide levels every
minute for fifteen minutes. We then prepare our dish where will be exposing the larva to
our treatment. We placed roughly five drops of Ethanol onto a piece of filter paper and
placed the filter paper into a dish. We then have the larva stay in the dish for ten
minutes. We then move the larva back to the Erlenmeyer flask where we will again
measure the level of carbon dioxide every minute for fifteen minutes.

589ppm

744ppm

627ppm

752ppm

679ppm

853ppm

717ppm

904ppm

748ppm

942ppm

797ppm

1003ppm

850ppm

1029ppm

892ppm

1076ppm

915ppm

1135ppm

972ppm

1182ppm

10

1005ppm

1217ppm

11

1024ppm

1239ppm

12

1049ppm

1288ppm

13

1099ppm

1338ppm

14

1123ppm

1366ppm

15

1142ppm

1408ppm

Change in

553ppm

664ppm

93.88%

89.25%

Carbon
Dioxide (ppm)
Percent
Change in
Carbon
Dioxide (%)

Figure A. The Effect of Alcohol on the

Rate of Cellular Respiration in Beetle
Respiration
Measurements
Control
Experimental
Time Intervals
Treatment
Treatment

700

600

500

400
Series 3
300

200

100

0
Control Treatment Change In Carbon Dioxide(ppm)

Figure B
700
600
500
400
Series 1
300
200
100
0
Change In Carbon Dioxide (ppm)Percent Change in Carbon Dioxide(%)

Figure C

Column1

The results for our experiment was the carbon dioxide rapidly increased, it
started at five-hundred and fifty three parts per million and at the end of the fifteen
minutes the carbon dioxide level had increased six- hundred and sixty four parts per
million, this can be observed in figure B and C. The percent increase during our control
treatment was 93.88 percent. For our experimental treatment by the time the fifteen
minutes was done the percentage change was 89.25 percent, this can be observed in
Figure A, and Figure C.

Our findings for this experiment were that alcohol does affect the cellular
respiration process. We found that when a larval beetle is exposed to alcohol the
beetles cellular respiration process is affected. Before the treatment was exposed to the
beetle the carbon dioxide levels were normal. After we exposed the larva to our
treatment then the carbon dioxide levels dramatically increased. They were releasing
more carbon dioxide after being exposed than they were before being exposed to the
treatment.
This means now that we understand that alcohol does have an affect on
cellular respiration we can also find what other processes it affects. Ethanol is used for
many day to day things. For example it is used to create cleaner air emissions from
vehicles. Therefore, we are more likely to being exposed to this ourselves. So seeing
how this effects the larva we could potentially better understand how it could somehow
effect us.

With this experiment we were interested in what the results would be. In
the future, we could possibly repeat this experiment in the future and have the larva
exposed to the treatment x amount of time per day for x amount of weeks. To further
see what other processes are affected by alcohol. When our body completes the
respiration process we produce a small amount of ethanol.