Conformation of Amylose in Solution and the Stability of its Iodine Complex

Conformation changes of the biopolymer amylose in different environments have been evaluated through hydrodynamic parameters. In presence of additives, conformational change is not the sole factor for complexation with iodine : specific solvent effects are present. Aqueous KI solution fails to extract iodine from the complex by dialysis but benzene can extract a part of it. Surfactants, above their critical micelle concentrations, can significantly destabilise the complex. These results and the effect of temperature on the complex reveal that major part of the iodine is strongly bound and the rest is weakly bonnd to amylose.