Lipids are water-insoluble organic biomolecules that can be extracted from cells and

tissues by non- polar solvents. They are classified as simple, compound and derived.
Lipids that contain fatty acid components are saponifiable.

I. a. Solubility- refers to the maximum amount of solute that will dissolve in a given
amount of solvent under a given set of conditions.
Principle Involved: Like dissolves like
Procedure:
Use 1ml of the following solvents: methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), benzene (C6H6),
ethanol (C2H5OH), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), water and dilute NaOH. To each
solvent in a test tube, add 1mL of olive oil and shake well. Repeat using coconut oil.
Objectives: To observe the solubility of oil in non-polar and polar solvents
Results:
Coconut
Oil
Olive Oil

CH2Cl2
Slightly
miscible
miscible

C6H6
Miscible
miscible

C2H5OH
Slightly
miscible
Slightly
miscible

CCl4
Slightly
miscible
Slightly
miscible

water
Dil. NaOH
immiscible Immiscibl
e
Immiscibl Immiscibl
e
e

Methylene chloride is a colorless, volatile liquid with a moderately sweet aroma and
is widely used as a solvent. Although it is not miscible with water, it is miscible with
many organic solvents. It is a good solvent for oils, fats, waxes, resins, bitumen,
rubber and cellulose acetate and is a useful paint stripper and degreaser.
Benzene is a colorless, flammable liquid with a sweet odor. It is considered as highly
non polar solvent because it has molecules whose electric charges are equally

distributed. In other words, there are six C-H bonds, and any dipole formed by these
bonds is balanced by carbon and hydrogen itself. Thus, the net dipole becomes zero.
Alcohol (ethanol) is a molecule has both polar and nonpolar parts, while oil is
completely nonpolar. Since they both have parts with no charge, they are similar
enough
to
not
repel
each
other
and
mix
evenly
together.
Carbon Tetrachloride is highly non-polar solvent. It consists of four chlorine atom
united with a single carbon atom. Chlorine often forms polar compounds. However, in
carbon tetrachloride, the carbon atom is at the center of the molecule, while the
chlorine atoms position themselves in such a way that no side of the carbon
tetrachloride molecule is more electronegative than any of its other sides. As a result,
carbon tetrachloride acts like a nonpolar molecule and dissolves oils.
Water is capable of dissolving a variety of different substances, which is why it is
such a good solvent. In fact, water is called the "universal solvent" because it
dissolves more substances than any other liquid. It is highly polar solvent that has
molecules whose electric charges are unequally distributed, leaving one end of each
molecule more positive than the other.
NaOH is a very common base. When sodium hydroxide (NaOH) dissolves in water, it
separates into positively - charged sodium ions (cations) and negatively - charged
hydroxide ions (anions). These ions move around in the water, free and independent
of each other, though cations tend to be surrounded more closely by anions and vice
versa. Sodium hydroxide is quite soluble in water (more than 50% by weight), but if
more than this amount is added to water at room temperature, there will be solid
remaining on the bottom of the container.
IV. Acrolein Test
Acrolein Test is a test used to detect the presence of fats or glycerine.
Principle: When a fat is heated strongly in the presence of a dehydrating agent such as
potassium bisulfate (KHSO). The glycerol portion of the molecule is dehydrated to
form the unsaturated aldehyde, acrolein or 2-propenal (CH2=CHCHO), which has
the odor peculiar to burnt cooking grease.

Acrolein is a colourless liquid with a piercing, disagreeable, acrid smell. It is

primarily used as an intermediate in the synthesis of acrylic acid and as a biocide. It
may be formed from the breakdown of certain pollutants in outdoor air or from the
burning of organic matter including tobacco, or fuels such as gasoline or oil. It is toxic
to humans following inhalation, oral or dermal exposures.