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Extraction of Caffeine from Tea leaves (Thea sinensis

Delos Santos, Mike Z., Fernandez, Christeline Mae C., *Gaerlan, Jeisela
Merice B., Genilla, Mary Rose C.

Department of Biological Science, College of Science, University of Sto.

Tomas, Espana Blvd, Sampaloc, Manila

Abstract

In this experiment, caffeine was isolated from tea leaves (Thea

sinensis) mainly through filtration and multiple extractions. This experiment
introduces students to the processes involved in extracting natural products
from naturally occurring compounds. Three standard tea bags were used
and the percent yield of caffeine produced was computed after isolating the
caffeine from the plant metabolites that it naturally comes along with. The
results showed that 0.0703 g of caffeine was extracted from 6.196 g of tea
leaves. Therefore, the percent yield is 1.13%.

Introduction

This experiment demonstrates how chemicals are isolated and what are the

different processes used in doing so. In this experiment, caffeine is isolated from tea

leaves (Thea sinensis) by filtration, heating, and etcetera. It focuses on the chemistry

concepts of isolation, purification, and characterization. These concepts deal with how

one should proceed to isolate and separate a specific individual compound such as

caffeine from where it is naturally found, along complex cellulosic plant metabolites.

Purification is the refinement or the removal of impurities while characterization is the

defining of qualities or properties a substance possess like its melting point.

Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system and is often associated with

coffee and tea beverages. The regular consumption of caffeine can lead to a mild
dependence but it doesnt threaten ones physical, social, or economic health the way

addictive drugs do. In some cases however, the reduced intake of caffeine can lead to

caffeine withdrawal. This is manifested through symptoms such as headache, fatigue or

drowsiness, depressed mood or irritability, difficulty concentrating, and flu-like

symptoms such as nausea or muscle pain (Scher, 2004). The effect of caffeine differs

from person to person, taking age, threshold, tolerance, and body size as factors to

consider. Tea originated in China as a medicinal drink. It became popular in the West

when Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it there during the 16th century

(Saberi, 2010). The hot beverage became fashionable among Britons during the 17th

century.

This experiments objectives are to isolate, purify, and characterize caffeine from

tea leaves and then to calculate the percentage yield of caffeine right after.

Methodology

1. The weight of all the tea leaves used were measured. An empty beaker was first

measured and then the beaker carrying the tea leaves was next. The difference

of the two measured weights was then written down as the weight of the tea

leaves.

2. The tea leaves were added in a beaker containing 100 mL of boiling water and

was allowed to boil for 5 minutes. The solution was then filter-pressed after

boiling. Hot water was used because the contents of a tea bag diffuses faster in

hot water than in cold.

 3. Two ice cubes was then added to the filtrate or tea extract to help it cool down

and was then transferred to a separation funnel with 20 mL DCM

(dichloromethane).

4. The separation funnel was then gently swirled for around 5 minutes. Two layers

are now noticeable after swirling. The lower layer was then extracted to a beaker.

5. Steps 3. and 4. were repeated but NaOH (Sodium hydroxide) was made use of

instead of the DCM.

6. The extract was then heated until the liquid has completely evaporated crude

caffeine was the only thing left. The crude caffeine was then weighed.

7. The percent yield was calculated and recorded.

Results and Discussion

Table 1: Measured weight of Glasswares and Substances

Weight of beaker (g) 28.902 g

Weight of beaker + tea leaves (g) 35.098 g

Weight of tea leaves (g) 6.196 g

Weight of empty evaporating dish (g) 117.8320 g

Weight of evaporating dish + crude 117.9023 g

caffeine (g)

Weight of caffeine (g) 0.0703 g

The weights of the following were taken to be able to compute for the percent yield.
Table 2: Percent yield of caffeine extracted from the tea leaves

% Yield of Caffeine 1.13%

Computations and Formula:

% Yield = 0.0703 / 6.196 x 100

= 1.134603 %

= 1.13 %

Discussion:

Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive substance in the world and one of the

widest-traded commodities in the forms of coffee, tea, and cola soft drinks (James,

1997). Some of its properties include being soluble to water and is a polar molecule. In

caffeine, three major functional groups can be found, an amine, an amide, and an

alkene. It is an organic molecule that has the properties of an organic amine base

(Tello, 2011). In the experiment, tea leaves were immersed in boiling water because the

higher temperature will increase the solubility of the caffeine. Once most of the tea

leaves content has already diffused in the hot water, two ice cubes were added to the

solution. The purpose of doing so is to help lower the temperature of the solution and

also to aid in the division of the two layers later on in the separation funnel. The next

step was to use dichloromethane or DCM. This compound was the solvent of choice for

caffeine extraction in the 1970s. It is because dichloromethane is a volatile, colourless

liquid, with a mildly sweet, not unpleasant odour. Its immiscible with water but can

dissolve a wide range of organic compounds. These properties make it the perfect

solvent for use in the lab, and indeed that how I used it - to separate and extract organic

products (James, 2014). The solution had to be cooled first before adding the DCM

because it has a boiling point of 40C. Adding the DCM immediately while it is it

relatively warm will cause the dichloromethane to just evaporate. The separation funnel

containing the caffeine extract plus 20 mL DCM was gently swirled to allow the

formation of two layers, an oil or organic layer on top and an aqueous layer below. The

aqueous layer is polar while the oil or organic layer is not. It is important to swirl gently

because swirling rapidly and vigorously might cause emulsions. It is important to take

note that at this point, the caffeine remaining in the filtrate is not yet in its purest form. In

the boiling of tea leaves, there is what we call tannins that dissolve in the water along

with caffeine. For us to be able to isolate the caffeine better, another extraction will be

done. The same process was repeated but now made use of Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)

instead of DCM. Sodium hydroxide is a base and it will allow the tannins to separate

from the caffeine. The last step was to evaporate the filtrate and allow the caffeine to

solidify in an evaporating dish. The crude caffeine was then weighed. In the end of the

experiment, only 0.0703 g of caffeine was extracted from the 6.196 g of tea leaves.

Conclusion
 The amount of caffeine isolated and extracted from three bags of tea leaves

weighing 6.196 g, was 0.0703 g. The percent yield computed was 1.13%.

References

Scher, A., Stewart, F., Lipton, R. (2004). Caffeine as a risk factor for chronic daily
headache. Retreived from: http://www.neurology.org/content/63/11/2022.short

Saberi, H. (2010). Tea: A global history. Retreived from:

https://books.google.com/books

Barone, J., Roberts, H. (1983). Human consumption of Caffeine. Retreived from:

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-69823-1_4

James, J. E.(1997). Understanding caffeine: A biobehavioral analysis. Behavioral

medicine & health psychology, Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications, Inc.

James, E. (2014). Dichloromethane. Retreived from:

https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/dichloromethane/7254.article