Ignas Sakuro s1977966 October 15th, 2019

Determination of vitamin C in vitamin tablets

Aim

The aim of this experiment was to determine the ammount of the ascorbic acid in a vitamin
tablet via iodometric titration.

Experimental

A vitamin tablet was weighted and dissolved in water. Solution was filtered and diluted to
250.0 cm3. Potassium iodate (1.345 g) was dissolved and diluted to 250.0 cm3. Aliquot of
vitamin solution (10.00 cm3) was mixed with sulfuric acid (25 cm3, 2 mol dm-3), potasium
iodide (20 cm3, 10 %) and potassium iodate solution (10.00 cm3). The mixture was diluted with
135 cm3 of deionised water. The solution was titrated with sodium
thiosulfate(0.1014 mol dm-3) using starch indicator.

Results

Mass of vitamin tablet: m (tablet) = 1.946 g

The volumes of sodium thiosulfate used obtained by titration are presented in Table 1.

Run 1 2 3 4

Final reading
10.60 20.97 10.76 21.09
(ml)

Initial reading
0.14 10.60 0.42 10.76
(ml)

Volume
10.46 10.37 10.34 10.33
delivered

Table 1. Titration volumes of sodium thiosulfate

Ignas Sakuro s1977966 October 15th, 2019

Discusion

Concentration of standart iodate solution:

m(KIO3 ) 1.345 g
c(KIO3 ) = = = 0,2514 mol dm−3
M(KIO3 ) × V(KIO3 ) 214 g mol−1 × 0.2500 dm3

Average titration volume:

10.37 cm3 + 10.34 cm3 + 10.33 cm3

̅(Na2 S2 O3 ) =
V = 10.35 cm3
3

Ammount of Na2S2O3 used in moles:

n(Na2 S2 O3 ) = c(Na2 S2 O3 ) ∗ V(Na2 S2 O3 ) = 0.1014 mol dm−3 × 0.01035 dm3

= 1.049 × 10−3 mol

Balanced equation of tri-iodide reduction:

I3− + 2S2 O2− − 2−

3 → 3I + 2S4 O6

The molar ratio of Iodide and thiosulfate is 1:2, therefore moles of tri-iodide remaining:

n(2S2 O2−
3 ) 1.049 × 10−3 mol
n(I3− ) = = = 5.247 × 10−4 mol
2 2

Balanced equation of tri-iodide formation:

I2 + I− → I3−

The molar ratio of iodide and tri-iodide is 1:1.

Balanced equation of iodide formation:

IO3− + 5I− + 6H + → 3I2 + 3H2 O

Ignas Sakuro s1977966 October 15th, 2019

The molar ratio of iodide and iodate is 1:3, ergo the molar ratio of iodate and tri-iodate is 1:3.
Therefore the inital ammount of tri-iodide in moles:

n(IO−3) c(IO− −
3 ) × V(IO3 ) 0,2514 mol dm−3 × 0.01000 dm3
n(I3− ) = = =
3 3 3
= 8.380 × 10−4 mol

Ammont of triodide used in oxidation of ascorbic acid:

nused (I3− ) = ninitial (I3− ) − nremaining (I3− ) = 8.380 × 10−3 mol − 5.247 × 10−4 mol
= 3.133 × 10−4 mol

Question 1. Balanced equation of ascorbic acid oxidation:

C6 H8 O6 + I2 → C6 H6 O6 + 2H + + 2I−

Molar ratio of ascorbic acid and iodide is 1:1, as shown above, molar ratio between iodide and
tri-iodide is 1:1, ergo molar ratio of ascorbic acid and tri-iodide is 1:1. Therefore moles of
ascorbic acid in sample:

n(C6 H8 O6 ) = nused (I3− ) = 3.133 × 10−4 mol

Total ammount of moles in the solution of tablet:

Vsample 250.0 cm3

ntotal (C6 H8 O6 ) = × nsample = ∗ 3.133 × 10−4 = 7.833 × 10−3 mol
Vsolution 10.00 cm3

Mass of ascorbic acid is M(C6H8O6) = 176 g mol-1, therefore the mass of ascorbic acid in one
tablet:

m(C6 H8 O6 ) = n(C6 H8 O6 ) ∗ M(C6 H8 O6 ) = 7.833 × 10−3 × 176 g mol−1 = 1.379 g

Percentage of vitamin C in tablet:

m(C6 H8 O6 ) 1.379 g
ω(%) = × 100% = × 100% = 70.86%
mtablet 1.946 g

Question 2. No, results has shown, that there was more than 1000 mg of vitamin C in tablet.
Ignas Sakuro s1977966 October 15th, 2019

Conclusion

The total mass of vitamin C in single tablet was measured to be 1.379 g which is 70.86% of
total mass of a tablet. That is 0.379 g more than written on the box of tablets. Possible errors
could have occured if too much starch indicator was used during titration or due to physical
vitamin C loss during filtration.