Polysaccharide elementary fibrils are usually fasciated into microfibrils of from one hundred to a few hundred Angstroms wide. Cellulose microfibrils when subjected to acid treatment dissociate into component elementary fibrils. For pectic acid it was observed that variations in pH could cause a change in the fasciation of the elementary fibrils.Solutions of purified pectic acid and sodium phosphotungtate were adjusted to various pH levels with NaOH or HCl and diluted to give a final concentration of 0.5 and 1% for the polysaccharide and negative stains respectively. Micrographs were made of the samples after drying on a carbon film covered grid. The average number of elementary fibrils was determined by counting the number of elementary fibrils in each fascicle intersected by lines drawn across the micrograph.
Mathematical modeling of elastic soil acid treatment
