Discussion

The determination of caffeine compound can be done by using High

Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The analysed results can be
referred on the Table 1. Set of standard serial solutions of 20 ppm, 40 ppm,
60 ppm, 80 ppm, 100 ppm and a sample of coke drink had been analysed to
obtain the peak area (μv.s) of caffeine in each solutions. The caffeine
component can be identified at the retention time (min) that ranging from
0.999 min to 2.443 min. From the Table 1, we can see that the highest peak
area was 3874279.03 (μv.s) for coke sample and the lowest peak was
22599.56 (μv.s) at 20 ppm standard solution. Based on the Figure 1, standard
curve of peak area (μv.s) against concentration (ppm) illustrated from the data
obtained. It can be concluded that the higher concentration of the caffeine, the
higher the peak area (μv.s) will be.
The gradient line from the standard curve produced an equation that
can be used to find out the concentration of the caffeine in the coke sample.
y=13544 x −345654

3874279.03 - 345654 = 13544x

3528625.03 / 13544 = x
X = 260.53 ppm

By rearranging the linear equation, the concentration of the caffeine in the

coke sample was 260.53 ppm. The concentration of caffeine in the basic coke
and diet coke was 95.5224 ppm and 125.3731 ppm respectively and and
which is lower than coffee and tea. It can be observed that the concentration
that claimed by Coca-Cola company much lower than the concentration
calculated. However, the huge range of retention time of each sample should
be noted as it might affect the detection of the caffeine during analysis.
To summarized, the present of the caffeine in the coke sample and the
amount of the caffeine from the rearranged liner equation of the standard
curve proved that the objective was achieved. In whatever way, some error
might be occurred during the experiment. For example, the retention times
has been shifted and affected the most crucial data. Which in this case, the
peak area (μv.s) of the analysed component.

Company, T. C.-C. (2020, January 10). Ingredients. Retrieved May 18, 2021, from
Coca-Cola Great Britain:
https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/our-business/faqs/how-much-caffeine-is-in-
diet-coke-coca-cola-and-coke-zero

Konstantinides, F. N., Garr, L., Li, J. C., & Cerra, F. B. (1987). Overcoming retention
time shifts as a source of error in HPLC analysis. Journal of chromatographic
science, 25(4), 158-163.