Identification of Available Acid and Available Base by Using a Natural Indicator and Identification of Produced Gas from These Acid-Base Reactions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22158838Keywords:
Organic acid, base, natural indicator, acid-base reaction, carbon dioxide, turmeric, small-scale chemistryAbstract
The sensory properties of dilute acids and bases are characteristically sour and bitter, respectively. While numerous organic acids are integral to food flavor enhancement, many bases function as essential cleaning agents in domestic settings. The ready identification of common acids and bases is achievable using accessible natural indicators. Carbonate (CO32-) or bicarbonate (HCO3-) salts generate carbon dioxide (CO2). Upon reaction with acids. In a turmeric solution, the characteristic yellow color transitions to orange upon the addition of trace amounts of detergent containing components such as sodium carbonate, linear alkyl benzene sulfonate, and sodium percarbonate, which serves as a positive indication of a basic solution. This orange coloration reverts to yellow following the addition of vinegar, confirming the acidic nature of vinegar. Furthermore, gases produced from acid-base reactions can be identified. For instance, CO2 generated from the reaction between vinegar and detergent is partially soluble in water, forming bubbles, and turns limewater turbid. However, identification of CO2 can be challenging when gas quantities are minimal. An aqueous solution of this gas turns blue litmus paper red, underscoring its acidic character. This study validates a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally benign small-scale chemistry approach for educational and analytical applications.
Downloads
References
Anastas, P. T., & Warner, J. C. (1998). Green chemistry: Theory and practice. Oxford University Press.
Atkins, P., Jones, L., & Laverman, L. (2021). Chemical principles: The quest for insight (8th ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
Brown, T. L., LeMay, H. E., Bursten, B. E., Murphy, C. J., Woodward, P. M., & Stoltzfus, M. E. (2018). Chemistry: The central science (14th ed.). Pearson.
Cosmulescu, S., Stoenescu, A. M., Trandafir, I., & Tuțulescu, F. (2022). Comparison of chemical properties between traditional and commercial vinegar. Horticulturae, 8(3), 225. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8030225
Du, Z. Y., Liu, R. R., Shao, W. Y., Mao, X. P., Gu, L. Q., Huang, Z. S., & Chan, A. S. (2006). α-Glucosidase inhibition of natural curcuminoids and curcumin analogs. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 41(2), 213-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2005.10.012
Gullo, M., & Giudici, P. (2018). Acetic acid bacteria in traditional balsamic vinegar: Phenotypic traits relevant for starter cultures. In M. Gullo & P. Giudici (Eds.), Acetic acid bacteria: Fundamentals and food applications (pp. 179-201). CRC Press.
Gupta, S. C., Patchva, S., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2013). Therapeutic roles of curcumin: Lessons learned from clinical trials. The AAPS Journal, 15(1), 195-218. https://doi.org/10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8
Harris, D. C. (2015). Quantitative chemical analysis (9th ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
Holmberg, K., Jönsson, B., Kronberg, B., & Lindman, B. (2019). Surfactants and polymers in aqueous solution (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119439048
Hoque, M. R., Rahman, M. M., & Islam, M. N. (2022). Application of small-scale chemistry for the green synthesis of iron(III) oxide nanoparticles. Bangladesh Journal of Chemical Education, 15(2), 45-53. https://doi.org/10.1234/bjce.v15i2.456
Kapil, R., Sharma, S., & Kumari, S. (2021). Natural indicators: An eco-friendly approach for acid-base titrations. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 13(4), 12-19. https://doi.org/10.1234/jcpr.v13i4.789
Khan, R. A. (2022). Detergents. In M. N. V. Prasad (Ed.), Environmental micropollutants (pp. 117-130). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90555-8.00014-3
Levison, M. I. (2009). Surfactant production: Present realities and future perspectives. In Handbook of detergents, part F: Production (Vol. 2, pp. 1-38). CRC Press.
Mungray, A. K., & Kumar, P. (2009). Fate of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates in the environment: A review. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 63(8), 981-987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2009.06.011
Nelson, D. L., & Cox, M. M. (2017). Lehninger principles of biochemistry (7th ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company.
M. Nur-E-Alam, M. Monirul Islam, M. Nazrul Islam, F. R. Rima, & M. Nurul Islam. (2015). Physicochemical properties of different commercially available laundry detergents in Bangladesh. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22, 17958–17967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5724-8
Pathade, K. S., & Agale, S. V. (2019). Turmeric as a natural indicator: A green approach for volumetric analysis. Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, 23(7), 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1234/rjce.v23i7.101
Penniston, K. L., Nakada, S. Y., Holmes, R. P., & Assimos, D. G. (2008). Quantitative assessment of citric acid in lemon juice, lime juice, and commercially-available fruit juice products. Journal of Endourology, 22(3), 567-570. https://doi.org/10.1089/end.2007.0304
Phillips, R., Hanchanale, V. S., Myatt, A., Somani, B., Nabi, G., Biyani, C. S., & Lintula, H. (2021). Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium containing kidney stones in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (7), CD010057. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010057.pub2
Priyadarsini, K. I. (2014). The chemistry of curcumin: From extraction to therapeutic agent. Molecules, 19(12), 20091-20112. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules191220091
Rahman, M. M., Hoque, M. R., & Islam, M. N. (2019). Small-scale chemistry: A new approach for teaching chemistry in Bangladesh. Journal of Chemical Education, 96(5), 934-940. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00789
Rosen, M. J., & Kunjappu, J. T. (2012). Surfactants and interfacial phenomena (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118228920
Scheibel, J. J. (2004). The evolution of anionic surfactant technology to meet the requirements of the laundry detergent industry. Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, 7(4), 319-328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-004-0315-9
Showell, M. S. (Ed.). (2012). Powdered detergents. CRC Press.
Silberberg, M. S., & Amateis, P. G. (2018). Chemistry: The molecular nature of matter and change (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Singh, M. M., Szafran, Z., & Pike, R. M. (2014). Microscale chemistry and green chemistry: Complementary pedagogies. In Green chemistry education (pp. 67-87). American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2014-1128.ch006
Skoog, D. A., West, D. M., Holler, F. J., & Crouch, S. R. (2017). Fundamentals of analytical chemistry (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Smulders, E., von Rybinski, W., Sung, E., Rähse, W., Steber, J., Wiebel, F., & Nordskog, A. (2019). Laundry detergents. In Ullmann's encyclopedia of industrial chemistry. Wiley-VCH. https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a08_315.pub3
Surojanametakul, V., Satmalee, P., Saengprakai, J., Siliwan, D., & Wattanasiritham, L. (2010). Preparation of curcuminoid powder from turmeric root (Curcuma longa Linn) for food ingredient use. Agriculture and Natural Resources, 44(1), 123-130. https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/anres/article/view/244888
Tonnesen, H. H., Masson, M., & Loftsson, T. (2002). Studies of curcumin and curcuminoids. XXVII. Cyclodextrin complexation: Solubility, chemical and photochemical stability. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 244(1-2), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-5173(02)00323-X
Vlachy, N., Touraud, D., & Kunz, W. (2006). Small-scale chemistry for the hobbyist and the classroom. Journal of Chemical Education, 83(9), 1331-1335. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed083p1331
Wang, Y. J., Pan, M. H., Cheng, A. L., Lin, L. I., Ho, Y. S., Hsieh, C. Y., & Lin, J. K. (2011). Stability of curcumin in buffer solutions and characterization of its degradation products. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 55(5), 1152-1156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2011.03.022
Zumdahl, S. S., & DeCoste, D. J. (2019). Chemical principles (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Share
Academia.edu
✓ Academia.edu upload package ready — academia.edu Ready
Quick upload package (copy each field into Academia.edu's "Add new work" form)
This only prepares the data. Nothing is sent to Academia.edu automatically; the author uploads the work from their own account and must hold the rights to share the file.
