CHAPTER 5: Glucose Chemistry

This chapter details the chemistry relating to glucose in terms of structure, reactions and configuration. Glucose is a white crystalline monosaccharide sugar. It is an aldohexose, since it contains one aldehyde group and six carbon atoms and occurs commonly in most animal and plant tissue. This sugar is also referred to as dextrose, grape sugar, blood sugar and starch sugar and can be produced both naturally and commercially. It is the most important circulating sugar in the blood and the principle energy source of the body. Glucose is metabolized to form carbon dioxide and water along with the Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used by cellular processes as chemical energy. Glucose concentration is measured primarily by chemical methods and enzymatic techniques specific to glucose.