Determination of Vitamin C

Vanessa Anthony
Organic Chemistry Principles Laboratory SCH 121 02
10 February 2018
ABSTRACT:​ The purpose of this experiment was to use titration techniques to assess

the Vitamin C content in both a Vitamin C supplement and a beverage sample of

choice, which in this case was apple juice. The titrant used was an iodine solution that

ultimately oxidized the titrand solution containing Vitamin C. By recording the volume of
iodine solution that was titrated, the mass of Vitamin C in both the supplement and

apple juice sample could be calculated. The supplement titration yielded 57mg of

Vitamin C with a 1.7% error, and the apple juice titration yielded 16mg of Vitamin C with

a 23% error. The latter percent error can be sourced by the faulty starch indicator

solution, which made observing the color change during titration more difficult and more

likely lead to over-titration.

INTRODUCTION/THEORY:

Ascorbic acid (i.e., Vitamin C) is an essential nutrient in our diet that is required for a

variety of important reactions in human metabolism and isn’t synthesizable. Therefore,

vitamin C deficiency has severe health consequences on a variety of body systems.

This experiment will test the vitamin C content in samples using the method of titration.

A titration is a reaction with controlled volumes, making it a quantitative technique

usually used for finding a concentration. A buret will contain the titrant, which is the

solution that is dropped into an underlying Erlenmeyer flask containing the titrand. The

two solutions react until the color ultimately changes color, which indicates the endpoint,

or the equivalence point. Color changes are revealed through an indicator, which in this

experiment is a starch solution. This titration will involve the oxidation of Vitamin C by

elemental iodine (I​2​) which is shown below.

C​6​H​8​O​6(aq)​ + I​2(aq)​ ---> C​6​H​6​O​6(aq)​ + 2 H​+​(aq)​ + 2 I​-​(aq)

L-Ascorbic Acid (Vit C) Dehydroascorbic Acid

The iodine will be created by mixing potassium iodate (KIO​3​) and potassium iodide (KI)

in an acidic solution. This is shown in the following reaction:

IO​3​-​(aq)​ + 5 I​-​(aq)​ + 6 H​+​(aq)​ ---> 3 I​2(aq)​ + 3 H​2​O​(l)

This solution will be the titrant, and the titrand will be a sample that might contain

Vitamin C. When the titration end point is reached the excess iodine will react with the

starch to produce a color change. Following the experiment, the volume of iodine

solution used to titrate each Vitamin C sample will be used to calculate the mass of

Vitamin C in each sample, or the Vitamin C content.

EXPERIMENTAL:

The first task of this experiment was to prepare the iodine titrant that would be used to

titrate the Vitamin C samples. To do this, potassium iodate (50mL, 0.01 M) and

potassium iodine (20mL, 10%) were added to a 100-mL flask. Then sulfuric acid (25mL,

0.3 M) was added, which turned the colorless, transparent solution a rusty brown color.

This happened every following time that sulfuric acid was added to a solution. The flask

was then filled to the mark with distilled water, covered with Parafilm, and inverted, thus

finishing the titrant preparation. To prepare the titrand, white, granular Vitamin C powder

was massed (0.290g) and added to a 50-mL flask. This flask was also filled to the mark

with distilled water, covered with Parafilm, and inverted to mix. Then the solution (10mL)
was added to a 250-mL flask along with sulfuric acid (5mL, 0.3 M) and a starch indicator

solution (2mL, 1%). To prepare the second titrand, the beverage sample (50mL) was

added to a 250-mL flask along with sulfuric acid (5mL, 0.3 M) and a starch indicator

solution (2mL, 1%). During the process of titration, the iodine solution was titrated until

there was a lingering color change. Due to the starch indicator being ineffective, the

titration was finished when a golden color lingered rather than the expected blue shade.

Volume measurements from the titration(s) were later used to calculate the mass of

Vitamin C in each titrand solution.

DATA/RESULTS:

1. Known Vitamin C Sample Observations and Mass Used

d of Known Vitamin C Sample
rvations
unt of Vitamin C Per Serving
Vitamin C/g product)
of Vitamin C Used
pson Vitamin C Powder
, granular powder
mg/5g product, therefore:
mg Vitamin C/serving
grams

2. Titration of Known Vitamin C Sample w/ Iodine Solution

me of 0.3 M H​2​SO​4 buret buret reading al volume of
added to Vitamin reading (mL) Iodine
C Sample (mL) (mL) solution used
(mL)
1 L mL mL
2 mL mL mL

3. Drink Sample Observations & Volume Used

d/Type of Beverage nSpray Apple Juice
rvations parent, amber liquid
unt of Vitamin C Per Serving ng size: 450mL
serving size) in C content: 190%
nt per serving: 13mg
me Used

4. Titration of Drink Sample w/ Iodine Solution

 me of 0.3 M H​2​SO​4 buret buret reading al volume of
added to Drink reading (mL) Iodine
Sample (mL) (mL) solution used
(mL)
1 L L L L
2 L L mL L

CALCULATIONS:
1. I​2​ CONCENTRATION:
KIO​3​ concentration: 0.10 M
Volume used: 50 mL
Volume made: 100 mL
KIO​3 +
​ 5KI + 3H​2​SO​4 ​ 3I​2​ + 3H​2​O + 3K​2​SO​4
M​1​V​1​ = M​2​V​2
(0.010M ) (50 mL) = M 2 (100 mL)

(0.010M )(50 mL) M 2 (100 mL)

100 mL
= 100 mL

M​2​ = 0.0050 M IO​3​-​ (iodate)

0.0050 mol IO3 3 mol I 2
1L
· I mol IO3
= 0.015 M I 2

2. TITRATION SET #1: Pure Vitamin C

Theoretical Mass:
Mass weighed out: 0.290 g
Volume made: 50 mL
Volume titrated: 10.0 mL
0.290 g V it C
50.0 mL
· 1000
1g
mg 10.0 mL
· 1 = 58 mg V it C
Experimental Mass:
I​2 Concentration:
​ 0.015 M
Volume titrated: 21.6 mL (​this is an averaged value b/t both trials)
Reaction ratio: 1 I​2​ : 1 Vit C
Molar Mass of Vit C: 176.1 g/mol
21.6 mL I 2 1L 0.015 mol I 2 1 mol V it C 176.1 g V it C 1000 mg
1
• 1000 mL
• 1L
• 1 mol I 2
• 1 mol V it C
• Ig
= 57 mg V it C
Percent Error:
Theoretical Mass of Vit C: 58 mg Vit C
Experimental Mass of Vit C: 57 mg Vit C
% = || T heoretical−Experimental
T heoretical
| x 100%
|
= || 58 mg−57
58 mg
mg |
| x 100%
% = ​1.7 % error
 3. TITRATION SET #2: Vitamin C Sample
Theoretical Mass:
Serving size: 450 mL
Amount provided: 190%
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of Vit C: 60 mg
Volume titrated: 50 mL

1.90 x 60 mg = 114 mg Vit C/serving

50.0 mL juice
1
· 114 mg V it C
450 mL juice
= 12.67 = 13 mg V it C
Experimental Mass:
I​2 ​Concentration: 0.015 M
Volume titrated: 6.15 mL (​this is an averaged value b/t both trials)
Reaction ratio: 1 I​2​ : 1 Vit C
Molar Mass of Vit C: 176.1 g/mol
6.15 mL I 2 0.015 mol I 2
1
1L
• 1000 mL
• 1L
• 1 mol V it C
1 mol I 2
• 176.1 g V it C
1 mol V it C
• 1000
Ig
mg
= 16 mg V it C
Percent Error:
Theoretical Mass of Vit C: 13 mg Vit C
Experimental Mass of Vit C: 16 mg Vit C
% = || T heoretical−Experimental
T heoretical
| x 100%
|
= || 13 mg−16
13 mg
mg |
| x 100%
% = ​23 % error

4. AMOUNT OF BEVERAGE CONSUMED TO REACH RDA

RDA of Vitamin C: 60 mg
Serving size of apple juice: 450 mL
Mass of Vitamin C per serving: 114 mg
450 mL juice
60 mg V it C · 114 mg V it C
= 237 mL

DISCUSSION: ​The supplement titration yielded 57mg of Vitamin C with a 1.7% error,

and the apple juice titration yielded 16mg of Vitamin C with a 23% error. These results

were considered to be satisfactory, particularly the first. The latter percent error can be

sourced by the faulty starch indicator solution, which made observing the color change

during titration more difficult and most likely lead to over-titration. In a future run of this

experiment, having a reliably working starch indicator solution would improve the

reading of the titration point. Another source of error that cannot necessarily be
improved is that the composition of the apple juice likely contained additional

compounds that were oxidized by the iodine solution, affecting the results. In order to

receive the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C (60mg), one would have to

consume 237mL of the apple juice beverage, which is approximately half a serving.