Microscopic Effects of Ultrasound on the Structure of Potato Starch Preliminary Study

This preliminary study has related the nature of rupture in starch grains, induced by ultrasound, to the ambient atmosphere, the concentration of the suspension, the frequency and the time of irradiation. It has been tentatively concluded that principally mechanical effects have been induced under conditions that would promote vaporous cavitation (280 KHz, 15 W/cm2). In an atmosphere of hydrogen, many deep conical pits are produced. In an atmosphere of air or oxygen, deep pitting is somewhat less pronounced than in hydrogen but injury to other parts of the surface is greater. Virtually no effect is produced in vacuo, and under carbon dioxide the effect is very weak. The extent of damage increases with time of radiation and decreases with increasing concentration of starch in the suspension. It is suggested that damage produced by ultrasound indicates a primarily radial structure of submicroscopic units in the starch grain. Explanations proposed for the effects observed must be tested in further experiments.