DIELECTRIC STUDIES IN DIASTASE

Dielectric constant (epsilon') and dielectric loss factor (epsilon '') of an enzyme diastase have been studied as a function of temperature and frequency in the temperature range 100-350 K and frequency range 5 00 Hz-1.78 MHz. Both; the dielectric constant (epsilon') and dielectri c loss factor (epsilon ''), decrease very rapidly initially with frequ ency and appear to settle to a more or less constant value at higher f requencies. The temperature dependence measurements show that the diel ectric constant (epsilon') and loss factor (epsilon '') does not vary appriciably in the low temperature range but above 273 K both increase up to 313 K and then decrease. The observed behaviour is directly tra ceble to the bound water present in the system. The results are explai ned in terms of superposition of two processes: transition of bound wa ter molecules from bound to free state, and diffusion of free water mo lecules out of the system.