CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT ON

DETERMINATION OF
CAFFEINE IN TEA
SAMPLE

Name:- Tirth Patel

Std:- 12-Sci-A
Roll No:- 31
School:- Gajera International School, Katargam
In charge:- Vishal sir

Page | 1
 INDEX

1. Objective
2. Introduction
3. What actually caffeine is?
4. Structure of caffeine
5. Samples
6. Uses of caffeine
7. Effects of caffeine
8. Adverse effects of caffeine
9. Facts about caffeine
10. Experimental Procedure
11. Observation
12. Conclusion
13. References

Page | 2
 OBJECTIVE:

The aim is to determine the caffeine in tea samples.

Page | 3
 INTRODUCTION

Tea is most commonly and widely used soft beverage

in the household. It acts as a stimulant for central
nervous system and skeletal muscles. That is why tea
removes fatigue, tiredness, and headache. It also
increases the capacity of thinking. It is also used for
lowering body temperature.

The principal constituent of tea, which is responsible

for all these properties, is the alkaloid-caffeine. The
amount of caffeine in tea leavers varies from sample
to sample. Originally it was thought that caffeine is
responsible for the taste and flavor of tea. But pure
caffeine has been found to be a tasteless while
substance. Therefore, the taste and flavor of tea is due
to some other substance present in it. There is a little
doubt that the popularity of the xanthenes beverages
depends on their stimulant action, although most
people are unaware of any stimulation. The degree to
which an individual is stimulated by given amount of
caffeine varies from individual to individual.

For example, some people boast their ability to drink

several cups of coffee in evening and yet sleep like a
long, on the other hand there are people who are so
Page | 4
sensitive to caffeine that even a single cup of coffee
will cause a response boarding on the toxic. The
xanthene beverages also create a medical problem.
They are dietary of a stimulant of the central nervous
system (CNS). Often the physicians face the question
whether to deny caffeine containing beverages to
patients or not. In fact children are more susceptible
than adults to excitation by xanthenes. For this
reason, tea and coffee should be excluded from their
diet. Even cocoa is of doubtful value. It has a high
tannin content may be as high as 50 mg per cup.
After all our main stress is on the presence of
caffeine in xanthene beverages and so in this project
we will study and observe the quantity of caffeine
varying in different samples of tea leaves.

Page | 5
 WHAT ACTUALLY CAFFEINE IS?

Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant

of the methylxanthine class. It is used as a cognitive
enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional
performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of
adenosine to the adenosine A1 receptor, which
enhances release of the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine. Caffeine also increases cyclic AMP
levels through nonselective inhibition of
phosphodiesterase.

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline purine, a

methylxanthine alkaloid, and is chemically related to
adenine and guanine bases of deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Page | 6
STRUCTURE OF CAFFEINE:

Page | 7
 SAMPLES

1. Red Label Tea (Brooke bond)

Page | 8
2. Yellow Label Tea

Page | 9
3. Green Label Tea (Lipton)

Page | 10
 USES OF CAFFEINE:

1. In medicines, it is used to stimulate, central

nervous system (CNS) and to increase the flow of
urine.
2. Because of its stimulating effects, caffeine has
been used to relieve fatigue. But is it dangerous
and one may collapse if not consumes it under
certain limit.
3. Caffeine is also used in analgesic tablets, as it is
believed to be a pain reliever. It is also beneficial in
migraines.
4. Caffeine has also been used to double
chromosomes in haploid wheat.

Page | 11
 EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE:

1. It is psycho-stimulant.
2. It improves physical and mental ability.
3. Its effect in learning is doubtful but intellectual
performances may improves where it has been
used to reduce fatigue and boredom.
4. When administered internally, it stimulates heart
and nervous system and also acts as diuretic. On
the contrary their excessive use is harmful to
digestion and their long use leads to mental
retardation.

Page | 12
 ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE:

1. Physical:-
Caffeine in coffee and other caffeinated drinks can
affect gastrointestinal motility and gastric acid
secretions. In postmenopausal women, high caffeine
consumption can accelerate bone loss.

2. Psychological:-
Minor undesired symptoms from caffeine ingestion
not sufficiently severe to warrant a psychiatric
diagnosis are common and include mild anxiety,
jitteriness, insomnia increased sleep latency, and
reduced coordination. Caffeine can have negative
effects on anxiety disorders. At high doses, typically
greater than 300 mg, caffeine can both cause and
worsen anxiety. For some people, discontinuing
caffeine use can significantly reduce anxiety.

In moderate doses, caffeine has been associated with

reduced symptoms of depression and lower suicide
risk. Two reviews indicates that increased
consumption of coffee and caffeine may reduce the
risk of depression.

Page | 13
3. Reinforcement disorders:-
Whether caffeine can result in addictive disorder
depends on how addiction is defined. Compulsive
caffeine consumption under any circumstances has
not been observed, and caffeine is therefore not
generally considered addictive. However, some
diagnostic models, such as the ICDM-9 and ICD-10,
include a classification of caffeine addiction under
broader diagnostic model. Some state that certain
users can become addicted and therefore unable to
decrease use even though they know there are
negative health effects.

4. Risk of other diseases:-

A protective effect of caffeine against Alzheimer’s
diseases and dementia is possible but the evidence is
inconclusive. It may protect people from liver
cirrhosis. Caffeine may lessen the severity of acute
mountain sickness if taken a few hours prior to
attaining a high altitude. One meta analysis has found
that caffeine consumption is associated with a
reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Regular caffeine
consumption may reduce the risk of developing
Parkinson’s diseases and may slow the progression of
Parkinson’s diseases.

Page | 14
 FACTS ABOUT CAFFEINE:

1. It’s the fourth most widely used drug in the world.

2. Caffeine first entered the scientific canon in 1819.
3. The three most popular drinks in the world all contain
caffeine.
4. It works by blocking inhibiting brain juice and
increasing dopamine.
5. Caffeine takes 20 to 30 minutes to go into effect.
6. Caffeine do have a taste.
7. It has a positive effect on longterm memory.
8. You can be allergic to it, and too much can kill you.

Page | 15
 PROCEDURE:

1. First of all, 50 grams of tea leaves were taken

as sample and 150 mL of water was added to it
in a beaker.
2. Then the beaker was heated up to extreme
boiling.
3. The solution was filtered and lead acetate was
added to the filtrater, leading to the formation
of a curdy brown colored precipitate.
4. We kept on adding lead acetate till no more
precipitate has been formed.
5. Again the solution was filtered.
6. Now the filtrate so obtained was heated until it
had become 50 mL.
7. Then the solution left was allowed to cool.
8. After that, 20 mL of chloroform was added to
it.
9. Soon after, two layers appeared in the
separating funnel.
10. The residue left behind was caffeine.
11. Then we weighed it and recorded the
observation.

Page | 16
12. Similar procedure was performed with
different samples of tea leaves and the quantity
of caffeine was observed in them.

Page | 17
 OBSERVATION TABLE:

1. Red Label Tea (Brooke Bond)

Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with 47.20 gm
precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.60 gm

2. Yellow Label Tea (Lipton)

Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with 47.15 gm
precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.55 gm

3. Green Label Tea (Lipton)

Weight of china dish 46.60 gm
Weight of china dish with 47.05 gm
precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.45 gm

Page | 18
 CONCLUSION:

1. Quantity of caffeine in Red Label Tea is 60 mg/

sample of 50 gm.
2. Quantity of caffeine in Yellow Label Tea is 55 mg/
sample of 50 gm.
3. Quantity of caffeine in Green Label Tea is 45 mg/
sample of 50 gm.

Page | 19
 REFERENCES:

www.icbse.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.google.com

Page | 20