Introduction

The topic was chosen due to the nature of the materials needed to conduct the experiment. The
materials to be used in this experiment (common household oils) are of interest due to their
common usage in everyday kitchens. In addition, these oils have been used for a considerable
amount of time throughout history in order to cook meals. Sesame seed oil, sunflower oil,
coconut oil, vegetable oil, and olive oil are all substances commonly utilized in kitchens in order
to help cook other foods, and are often kept in household pantries. Oils are known to add
different qualities to meals depending on the specific type of oil used. The difference in taste
leads one to wonder if there may be a difference in make-up between the oils, and if those
differences are effective in changing the effect of meals cooked. This research question intends
to investigate the amount of lipids (fats) in each type of oil selected by finding their respective
iodine numbers. With this information, one can determine which oils are more healthy in
consumption when being used in cooking based upon their fat content.

The iodine number in this experiment is representative of the amount of iodine (in mg) required
to saturate the fatty acid in 100mg of the oil. Oils with low iodine numbers are found to have a
significant amount of saturated fatty acids, while oils with high iodine numbers are found to have
a significant amount of unsaturated fatty acids (Gupta & Kanwar 2010).

Research Question
What are the iodine numbers of 0.1 mg samples of Sesame Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Coconut
Oil, Vegetable Oil, and Olive Oil as determined by the titration of the mixture of the sample
added to chloroform, potassium iodide, and Hanus solution against 0.1 Sodium Thiosulphate?

Variables
● Sesame Seed Oil
● Sunflower Oil
● Coconut Oil
● Vegetable Oil
● Olive Oil

Materials
● 7.6mL Bleach
● x1 Burette
● 125mL Chloroform
● 0.625g Coconut oil
● x25 250mL Conical flask (5 flasks per oil tested)
● x1L Conical flask (for Hanus solution)
● 50mL Distilled water (x5 per test x5 because of oil)
● 32mL Distilled water
 ● 1L Distilled water
● 100 mL Distilled water
● 1L Glacial acetic acid
● 10.7mL 1M Hydrochloric acid
● 18.2g Iodine
● 0.625g Olive oil
● 15g Potassium iodide
● 0.625g Sesame seed oil
● 1.1g Sodium bromide
● 24.8g Sodium thiosulphate
● x1 Stirring stick
● 0.625g Sunflower oil
● 0.625g Vegetable oil
● x1 Weighted scale

Safety
Chloroform is used in this experiment. When utilizing large amounts of Chloroform in an
experiment, the lab’s fume hood must be utilized in order to ensure no harmful chemicals are
inhaled.
Method
1. Prepare bromine water by mixing 1.1g sodium bromide, 10.7mL 1M hydrochloric acid,
7.6mL bleach, and 32mL distilled water.
2. Prepare 750 ml Hanus Solution by first dissolving 18.2 g iodine in 1L glacial acetic acid.
3. Add 3 ml of bromine water to the mixture to complete the Hanus Solution.
4. Prepare 15% iodide solution by adding 15g of potassium iodide to 100 mL distilled
water.
5. Prepare 10% starch solution by dissolving 10g of starch in 100 mL distilled water.
6. Prepare 0.1N sodium thiosulphate solution by dissolving 24.8 g sodium thiosulphate in
1L distilled water.
7. Weigh 0.125 g of the oil into a 250 mL conical flask.
8. Add 5 mL of chloroform.
9. Add 15 mL of Hanus solution and close the flask completely, covering the flask with
tinfoil and shaking every 2 minutes for 30 minutes.
10. Add 5 mL of 15% potassium iodide solution and shake.
11. Add 50 mL of distilled water.
12. Titrate the iodine solution against the 0.1N sodium thiosulphate solution with continuous
stirring until the mixture becomes a yellow color.
13. When mixture is a yellow color, add 10 ml starch solution and continue to stir.
14. Continue titration until mixture becomes a white color.
15. Repeat steps 7-14 until each sample of oil has been tested 5 times.
Results
Oil 1- Sesame Seed Oil (5 trials):
Trial # Burette Reading before Burette Reading when
Addition of Sodium White Color achieved (in
Thiosulphate (in mL) mL)

1 28.4 43.8

2 2.7 15.5

3 7.5 19.4

4 19.4 31.00

5 31.00 43.7

Trials Amount of Thiosulphate used to achieve

white color (in mL)

1 15.4

2 12.8

3 11.9

4 11.6

5 12.7

Average 12.88

Standard Deviation 1.50

Due to the limitation of resources and time, the full planned experiment could not be continued
until completion. Thus, only the first oil intended to be tested (sesame seed oil) was able to be
processed and recorded in this experiment. Four more oils were intended to be tested and each
oil’s respective data recorded in the same fashion as the above tables.

Evaluation
The results of this experiment have a large margin of error due to the incomplete nature of the
result as well as the error when the experiment was undergone.
In the first trial, the original planned amount of starch indicator for the experiment being used
was found to be ineffective in its proposed role. For this reason, the starch indicator solution was
changed from a 1% starch solution to a 10% starch solution. This change proved useful in the
experiment, as the experiment was then able to be successfully carried out. The outcome of the
first trial (of needing more thiosulphate before a reaction with the starch indicator occurred) can
be explained by this random error. In repeating this experiment, the procedure was changed and
would be carried out using 10% indicator solution in any future reproductions of this experiment.

In a systematic error, the amount of oil measured was not accurately only 0.1 mL every time.
This was due to the amount required and the difficulty of measuring such an amount. This
systematic error can lead to the averages and conclusions of this experiment being not totally
accurate. This error is to be fixed in future reproductions of this experiment by obtaining an
instrument better suited to measuring small amounts.

The experiment is in no way complete, leading to no viable conclusions to be drawn from the
results. Due to the rushed nature of this experiment, certain measurements and steps were
performed haphazardly. In order to prevent this in reproductions of this experiment, the amount
of time needed should be set aside, as this experiment makes use of a great amount of time.

For the reason of vast incompletion, an extension of this experiment is proposed in order to reach
some conclusive results and information that is able to be interpreted in any sense. Only one oil
was successfully tested 5 times, leading this paper to only contain the results of the 5 trials
conducted. Were more trials to take place, more conclusive results would be able to be evaluated
and interpreted.

Conclusion
No definitive conclusion can be reached in this experiment due to its incomplete nature. Drawing
a conclusion based on the small amount of data gathered would constitute as major extrapolation,
as assuming information based on such little results has no value. Thus, as it stands, the data
recorded in this experiment can not be interpreted, as on its own, the results that could be drawn
would be incorrect and a major misinterpretation of data.

By completing this experiment, enough data would be gathered in order to create a solid
statement or assertion. Gaining enough data and information to create a sound conclusion is a
crucial aspect of any experiment.

Extension
A logical extension of this experiment would be to continue testing, and complete the 5 trials per
oil of testing of titration of the mixture of a 0.1 oil sample added to chloroform, potassium
iodide, and Hanus solution against 0.1 Sodium Thiosulphate. In addition, the logical step would
be to then interpret the data after the complete array of information in relevance to the
experiment is gained.

In an extension of this experiment, a suitable amount of time would be laid out in advance in
order to reach a conclusion of testing. In addition, proper materials would be gathered much
farther in advance. Ideally, materials and plans would not be thrown away by teachers leading to
a total restart of the experiment.

References
Gupta, R., & Kanwar, G. (2010, June 30). Determination of iodine numbers of edible oils.
Retrieved October 26, 2020, from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1016/0307-4412(94)90174-0