QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHOSPHORIC ACID FOUND IN COMMERCIAL

SOFT DRINK “POOL COLA” VIA POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION

Diana Sofía Rojas Escobar1, Eliana de los Ángeles Molina Licona1

1
Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department. School of Engineering. National
University of Colombia. Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Emails: dirojase@unal.edu.co, emolinal@unal.edu.co

ABSTRACT

In this work is described the quantitative analysis conducted to phosphoric acid (H 3PO4), a
polyprotic acid, found in a drink from a commercial brand called “Pool Cola” by performing an
acid-base potentiometric titration. The titrant was sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a molar
concentration of 0.092 M. 100.0 mL of Pool Cola soft drink, degasified in advance, were used for
the titration, and approximately 0.20 mL of NaOH were added until a total of 25.00 mL of added
volume of NaOH was reached. Added-volume and pH data marked by the potentiometer were
taken after each adding of the titrant, and then the pH chart as a function of added volume and its
first derivative was made in order to pinpoint the point of equilibrium and hence ascertain the
concentration of H3PO4 found in this soft drink. Thus, we determined that its concentration is
0.0047 M and that its acidity constants are 2.92 for pKa 1 and 5.78 for pKa2, which correspond to
the first and second breaks, respectively.

Keywords: Titration, Potentiometry, Phosphoric Acid, Concentration, pH.

1. INTRODUCTION

A quantitative analysis seeks to measure how much of a chemical compound is found in a

substance. This process may, in some cases, be performed through titrations, which implies
combining a sample of a dissolution with unknown concentration and a dissolution with known
concentration, also known as standard dissolution or titrant, where the concentration of the
analyte may be ascertained via stoichiometric ratio. [1-2] For this procedure, an acid-base
titration was performed, where we caused the reaction of the phosphoric acid (H 3PO4) found at
Pool Cola soft drink, degasified in advance (commercial soft drinks have carbon dioxide (CO 2)
that reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and may end up altering the potential of hydrogen
(pH) in the reaction between H3PO4 and NaOH [3]), specifically this drink manufactured by HYE
DRINKS DE COLOMBIA S.A.S., Sanitary Certificate No RSAA09/9012, lot L1 21/12/18, with
the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) base, which is defined as a neutralisation reaction. Generally,
acid-base indicators are used to identify the equivalence point of the titration, in other words, the
point where the substances are stoichiometrically equivalent. Nevertheless, this process may also
be performed with a potentiometer not only to reach the equivalence point, but also to continue
with the progress of the reaction and show its behaviour through a titration curve, a pH chart as
function of the added volume of the titrant.

1
Phosphoric acid is a polyprotic acid, in other words, it has more than one H + available for
dissociation. This acid is dissociated from its available protons in three stages with different and
independent pKa constants, which is an acidity constant obtained by applying -log(ka), where ka
is the acid dissociation constant from each polyprotic acid.

H3PO4(s)   + H2O(l)   H3O+(aq) + H2PO4−(aq) pKa1=2.15 (1)

− + 2−
H2PO4 (aq)+ H2O(l)   H3O (aq) + HPO4 (aq) pKa2=7.20 (2)
HPO42−(aq)+ H2O(l)   H3O+(aq) +  PO43−(aq) pKa3=12.38 (3)
 
Equations: Dissociations of phosphoric acid. [4]

For this reason, this acid-base potentiometric titration seeks to ascertain the concentration of
phosphoric acid found in the commercial soft drink named Pool Cola, as well as its pKa constant
through equivalence points, ascertained by the maximum point of fractions of the first derivative
chart, and semi-equivalence ascertained by half the added volume of the equivalence point on the
titration chart. Thus, we shall be able to compare this result with the pKa found in the literature,
expecting a percentage error due to the interference of other compounds found in this commercial
soft drink.

2. EXPERIMENTAL PART

2.1. Titration with Potentiometer

The titration system must be first assembled, which consists of a burette held by a universal
bracket, on a beaker with a plate with magnetic stirring. The potentiometer electrode is also held
by the abovementioned universal bracket, which must be calibrated in advance. 100.0 mL of Pool
Cola soft drink, previously degasified, is measured and then poured into the beaker with the
magnetic stirrer and is then put onto the plate. The burette is filled with NaOH with a molar
concentration of 0.092 M up to the 0.00 mL mark; subsequently, the stirring is started, leaving it
enough time for the pH to stabilise, making sure that the stirrer do not collide with neither the
electrode nor the walls of the beaker, and that the potentiometer electrode be submerged in the
solution. The titration is then started by writing the pH of the solution without adding NaOH. On
each adding of 0.20 mL of NaOH, the data on the added volume and pH marked by the
potentiometer are extracted until the 25.00 mL of NaOH are added.

2.2. pKa and H3PO4 Concentration Determination

By using the volume and pH data obtained during this titration, the titration curve is made, which
is a pH chart as function of volume and the chart of the first derivative is also made, which is
ΔpH/ΔV as function of volume. Then, the maximum points of the first derivative in the fractions
of the chart of the first and second breaks are ascertained, which are the equivalence points of the
reaction. The equivalence points are taken and then assessed on the titration chart by tracing
parallel straight lines to the axis of the abscissas containing the equivalence points. These straight
lines are split into two equal segments. The middle point of this straight line reflected on the
titration chart is referred to the semi-equivalence point. There, the pH is equal to the respective
pKa of each break.
2
For the calculation of the phosphoric acid found in the drink, the following ratio is used:

C1 · V 1 = C 2 · V 2 (4)

Where C1 is the concentration of NaOH, V 1 is the volume of NaOH added for the first break, V 2
is the volume of the H 3PO4-containing soft drink, and C2 is the concentration of H3PO4 found this
soft drink.

3. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

From the titration of H3PO4 with NaOH, 142 data were collected, which were then used to make
the titration chart and the chart of the first derivative in order to show the behaviour of the
reaction during the titration.

12
10
8
6
pH

4
2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
NaOH Volume (mL)

Figure 1. Titration Curve (pH as function of volume)

1.60
1.40
1.20
1.00
ΔpH/ΔV

0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
NaOH Volume (mL)

Figure 2. Curve of the Titration First Derivative (ΔpH/ΔV as function of volume)

From the initial data found in the experimental part and the data found on the chart, the following
results may be deducted:

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 DETAILS VALUE
NaOH Volume for the First Equivalence Point (mL) 5.10 mL
NaOH Volume for the Second Equivalence Point (mL) 12.20 mL
NaOH Concentration (M) 0.092 M
Volume of Titrated Soft Drink (mL) 100.0 mL
Concentration of H3PO4 Found in Pool Cola Soft Drink (M). 0.0047 M
pKa for the First Dissociation 2.93
pKa for the Second Dissociation 5.53

Table 1. Data and Results Obtained

Comparing the pKa obtained with the pKa found in the literature, which are 2.15 for the first
dissociation and 7.20 for the second dissociation [4], we end up with a percentage error for the
first dissociation of 36.3% and 23.2% for the second dissociation, which may be caused because
H3PO4 is not in a pure form in the sample, but it is mixed with other components, such as
carbonated water, containing CO2, which may cause interference in the neutralisation reaction.

4. CONCLUSIONS

1) The phosphoric acid concentration found in this Pool Cola soft drink is 0.0047 M.
2) The equilibrium constant for the first dissociation (pKa1) is equal to 2.93 with a 36.3%
percentage error.
3) The equilibrium constant for the second dissociation (pKa2) is 5.53 with a 23.2% percentage
error.

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Christian, G.D. (2009). Química Analítica. Mc Graw Hill. México. Pp 266 - 281
[2] Brown, T., et al. (2004). Química. La ciencia central. Pearson Educación. Pp 671 - 676
[3] Harris, D. C. (2007). Quantitative Chemical Analysis. Reverté. Barcelona, p. 244.
[4] Petrucci R., et al. (2011). Química General. Pearson Educación. Madrid, p 718