Chemistry

Project
Presence of Oxalate Ions

Maheshwaran S

Contents

Aim

Introduction

Theory

Requirements

Procedure

Chemical Equations

Observations

Calculations

Result

Precautions

Bibliography

To study the presence of oxalate ions in guava

fruit at different stages of ripening.

Introduction
Constituents
Water
Proteins
Fats
Calcium
Phosphorus
Vitamin C
Organic Matter

% Amount
76.10
1.50
0.20
0.01
0.04
0.03
14.5

Guava is a sweet, juicy and light dark green

coloured fruit, when ripe it acquires a yellow colour &
has a penetrating strong scent. The fruit is rich in
vitamin C & minerals. It is a rich source of oxalate and
its content in the fruit varies during different stages of
ripening.

In this project, we will learn to test for the

presence of oxalate ions in the guava fruit and how it
amount varies during different stages of ripening.

Theory
Oxalate ions are extracted from the fruit by
boiling pulp with dil. H2SO4. Then oxalate ions are
estimated volumetrically by titrating the dilution with
standard KMnO4 solution.

Requirements
100 ml. Measuring flask, pestle & mortar,
beaker, titration flask, funnel, burette, weight-box,
pipette, filter paper, dilute H2SO4, N/20 KMnO4
solution, guava fruits at different stages of ripening.

PROCEDURE
1.) Weigh 50.0 g of fresh guava & crush it to a fine
pulp using pestle-mortar.
2.) Transfer the crushed pulp to a beaker & add
about 50 ml. dil. H2SO4 to it. Boil the contents for
about 2 minutes.
3.) Cool & filter the contents in a 100 ml. measuring
flask. Make the volume up to 100 ml. by adding
distilled water.
4.) Take 20 ml. of the solution from the measuring
flask into a titration flask& add 20 ml. of
dil.H2SO4 to it. Heat the mixture to about 60oC &
titrate it against N/20 KMnO4 solution taken in a
burette.
5.) END POINT: appearance of permanent LightPink colour.

6.) Repeat the exp. With 50.0 g of 1, 2 & 3 days old

guava fruit.

Chemical Equations
Molecular equations:

Ionic equations:

Observations
Weight of Guava Fruit taken:-

50.0 g

Volume of guava extract in titration: Normality of KMnO4 Solution:-

Guava
extract from
Fresh
Guava
1 day
Guava
2 day
Guava
3 day
Guava

Burette Readings
Initial
Final

20.0 ml
1/20

Con. Vol. of
N/20 KMnO4
ml.
ml.
ml.
ml.

Concordant volume: (X) _____ml.

Calculations
For fresh Guava,
(guava extract) N1V1

N2V2 (KMnO sol.)

4

N1 X 10 = 1/20 x (X)
Normality of Oxalate, N1 = (X)/200
1.) Strength of Oxalate in Fresh guava extract,
= Normality x Eq. mass of oxalate ion
= (X)/200 x 44
=

/200 x 44

= _____ g/l. of the diluted extract

2.) Strength of Oxalate in 1 Day guava extract,
= Normality x Eq. mass of oxalate ion
= (X)/200 x 44
=

/200 x 44

= _____ g/l. of the diluted extract

3.) Strength of Oxalate in 2 Day guava extract,
= Normality x Eq. mass of oxalate ion
= (X)/200 x 44
=

/200 x 44

= _____ g/l. of the diluted extract

4.) Strength of Oxalate in 3 Day guava extract,

= Normality x Eq. mass of oxalate ion
= (X)/200 x 44
=

/200 x 44

= _____ g/l. of the diluted extract

Result
Strength of Oxalate ion in,
Fresh Guava: _____g/l.
1 Day Guava: _____g/l.
2 Day Guava: _____g/l.
3 Day Guava: _____g/l.
Presence of oxalate ion is high in guava, about
____% of guava contains oxalate ions, amount of
oxalate ion decreases as it ripens!!!

Precautions
a. There should be no parallax while taking
measurements.
b.Spillage of chemicals should be checked.
c. Avoid the use of burette having a rubber tap as
KMnO4 attacks rubber.
d. In order to get some idea about the temperature
of the solution touch the flask with the back side
of your hand. When it becomes unbearable to
touch, the required temperature is reached.
e. Add about an equal volume of dil.H2SO4 to the
guava extract to be titrated (say a full test tube)
before adding KMnO4.
f. Read the upper meniscus while taking burette
reading with KMnO4 solution.
g.In case, on addition of KMnO4, brown ppt.
appears, this shows that either H2SO4 has not
been added or has been added in insufficient
amount. In such a case, throw away the solution
and titrate again.

Bibliography

Search Engines Used:

1.www.reader.google.com
2.www.quora.com
3.www.wikipedia.org
4.www.google.com
5.www.labs.google.com

Practical Chemistry by Laxmi Publications

The Family Encyclopedia by Dorling Kindersley

Pradeeps Chemistry

NCERT Chemistry

Chemistry Today

Britannica Encyclopedia