Anselme Payen ([[January 6], 1795 - May 12, 1871) was a French chemist. He was born in Paris, where he studied at the École Polytechnique. At the age of 20 he became manager of a borax-refining factory, where he developed a process for synthesizing borax from soda and boric acid. He also invented new processes for refining sugar, a decolorimeter, a way to refine starch and alcohol from potatoes, and a method for determination of nitrogen. 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A chemist is a scientist who specializes in chemistry. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... The cadets of Polytechnique rushed to the defense of Paris against the foreign armies in 1814. ... Borax, (Na2B4O7·10H2O, sodium borate or sodium tetraborate) is an important boron compound. ... Soda is a term used for sodium-containing chemical compounds. ... Boric acid, also called boracic acid or orthoboric acid, is a chemical compound, a mild acid often used as an antiseptic, insecticide, flame retardant, and a component of other chemical compounds. ... A sugar is a carbohydrate which is sweet to taste. ... Starch is a complex carbohydrate which is insoluble in water. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 14. ...

Payen became especially famous for the discovery of the first enzyme, diastase; also for his works on cellulose. A ribbon diagram showing the tertiary structure of neuraminidase Factor D enzyme crystal prevents the immune system from inappropriately running out of control An enzyme (in Greek en = in and zyme = leaven) is a protein, that catalyzes a chemical reaction. ... Diastase (from the Greek word for separate) is a group of enzymes which catalyses the breakdown of starch into glucose. ... Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymer polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ...