CHEMISTRY COLLOQUIUM

2013

Name: Ysabel Deborah

Teacher advisor: Pn Betty Wong

Analysis of vitamin c
(ascorbic acid) in fruit juices
 To determine the content of
vitamin c (ascorbic acid) in
different types of fruits juices

To investigate the importance

of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) to
human body

To investigate the deficiency

of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) in
the human body
 Vitamin C ( Ascorbic Acid)

Structure of vitamin c/ ascorbic acid

Do different fruit juices of the
same brand contain the same
content of vitamin c?
The pH value of the different fruit
juices from same brands was
measured using a pen type pH
meter to know the content of
vitamin c (ascorbic acid) in each
type of fruit juices
Instruments/Apparatus:
Pen type pH meter, four 250ml
beakers, polystyrene cup, paper towels
Materials:
Different types of fruit juices of
the same brand, buffer solution
1. Four 250ml beakers are prepared and labelled
A, B, C, D.

3. 100ml of buffer solution is measured

and poured into a polystyrene cup. The
cap of the pen type pH meter is removed
and turned on. The probe end of the pen
2. 200ml of the fruit juices of different flavours are type pH meter is immersed into the
poured into the following labelled beakers. buffer solution.
 4. The pen type pH meter is
swirled in the buffer solution to
prevent air bubbles and is left in
the solution for at least 30
seconds until it reads pH 7.

5. The pen type pH is rinsed under

running water and excess liquid is
dried with a paper towel.

6. The pen type pH then is immersed into

the fruit juice labelled A to obtain its pH
value.
7. The pen type pH meter is swirled in the
fruit juice to prevent air bubbles and is
left in the solution until a stable reading is
displayed.
8. The value shown on the pen type pH
meter is recorded in a table.

9. The steps 6 to 9 are repeated using the

other sample of fruit juices in beaker
B, C, and D.
Results:
A B C D
(Apple juice) (Orange (Guava juice) (Grape juice)
juice)

Reading
1 3.1 3.1 3.2 3.3
Reading
2 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.3
Results:

3.35 3.3 3.3

3.3
3.25 3.2 3.2
3.2
3.15 3.1 3.1 3.1
3.1
3.05 3.0
3
2.95
2.9
2.85
A B C D
Reading 1 Reading 2
Food with high amount of vitamin c
(ascorbic acid)

Fruits Vegetables
 Benefits of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) to
human body

Growth And Repair Of Tissues

Maintains
healthy
bones and
teeth
Prevent the build-up of radicals
 Deficiency of vitamin c
(ascorbic acid)
Bleeding gums

Anaemia

Nose bleeding
Scaly skin

Weight gain
 Conclusion
• All the fruit juice A, B, C, D, had the same vitamin C
content due to the insignificant difference in the pH.
• Form our observation of the nutritional information of
the fruit juices on the back of the box, our conclusion
was also strengthened. We saw that all the vitamin C
contents in the fruit juice were the same (39mg) for
juice A, B, C and D.
• Different types of fruit juice of the same brand do
contain the same content of vitamin C. The vitamin C
content is not affected by the type of fruit juice if the
fruit juice came from the same brand.
 Bibliography
1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency
/article/002404.htm
2. http://www.ehow.com/how_7900217_use-
pen-ph-meter.html
3. http://www.ehow.com/how_5494207_calib
rate-ph-pen.html
4. http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-
009101000000000000000-4w.html?
 APPRECIATION
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude especially to:

1. Pn Betty Wong, our beloved teacher advisor for giving us a lot of guidance
and advices. Not only that, we will not forget the help she gave us in
solving the problems we encountered throughout the research.

2. The school computer lab, for following us to access the Internet with
ease in order to obtain the information that we were looking for. Besides
that, we would also like to thank the school library for providing us with
a wide range of reading materials.

3. All parties that also succeeded this research.

© ysabeldeborah@gmail.com