CHEMISTRY PROJECT

ON
CATION AND ANIONS PRESENT IN TOOTHPASTE
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For

Class XII
Submitted to:
Department Of Chemistry
Submitted By: SUMANT WATTAL
XII-C4
Roll No: 9131425

ACKOWLEDGEMENT
1

I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere thanks to Principal

Mrs. M.Barsaley for her encouragement and for all the facilities that she
provided for this project work. I sincerely appreciate this magnanimity by
taking me into her fold for which I shall remain indebted to her.
I extend my hearty thanks to Mrs. S.Taneja , my Chemistry teacher, who
guided me to the successful completion of this project. I take this opportunity
to express my deep sense of gratitude for her invaluable guidance, constant
encouragement, constructive comments, sympathetic attitude and immense
motivation, which has sustained my efforts at all stages of this project work.
I cant forget to offer my sincere thanks to my classmates who helped me to
carry out this project work successfully & for their valuable advice & support,
which I received from them time to time.

Student Name Sumant Wattal

This is to certify that this project report

CATION AND ANION PRESENT IN TOOTHPASTE is the bonafide
work of
Sumant Wattal Roll No. 9131425 of class XII
for the year 2015-16.
He has carried out the project work under my supervision.

Mrs.S.Taneja
P.G.T. (Chemistry)

INDEX
3

Introduction
History
Ingredients and flavor
Experiment
1. Materials Required
2. Theory
3. Procedure

Result
Conclusion
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used to clean and maintain the aesthetics
and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene : it can aid in
the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth.
Non-cleaning of teeth can cause tooth decay, i.e. hole in the enamel or plaque.
The dental enamel is the hardest material in the body but it is formed of calcium
phosphate, which can be dissolved by acids. Specific bacteria metabolize sugar to
lactic acid and this leads to low resistance of the enamel towards bacteria
colonization.
A typical toothpaste contains an abrasive, humectant, binder, detergent, flavour,
preservative and therapeutic agent. Apart from an unsubstantiated hypothesis
linking the ingestion of silica abrasives with the development of Crohn's disease,
toothpaste abrasives are considered safe for human use. The humectants, binders,
flavours, preservatives and colourings are used routinely in the food and
pharmaceutical industries and should pose minimal health risks when used in
toothpaste. The flavours, colourings or preservatives may give rise to allergic
reactions, but they are relatively rare. The detergent or essential oil flavours may
produce localised mucosal irritation, but this is also rare. As ingestion of
excessive amounts of fluoride toothpastes by young children has been implicated
in dental fluorosis, parents should supervise tooth cleaning in order to
minimize toothpaste ingestion. For the majority of people, toothpastes, when used properly,
are safe and help to maintain dental health. Generally any standard toothpaste contains Calcium
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carbonate, Sodium mono chloro phosphate, Sodium laiuryl sulphate, Zinc sulphate alum and
some flavoring oils.
S

Standard toothpastes contain:

Sodium monochlorophosphate
S

Fluorides

Detergents
Foaming agents
Colour
Flavoring agents
Humectants (prevent the toothpaste from Hardening )
Herbal toothpastes that have gained popularity amongst people, who are looking for natural
toothpastes, generally contain:
Peppermint oil
Myrrh
Plant extracts
Special oil and cleansing agents

HISTORY
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The earliest known reference to toothpaste is a manu4cript from Egypt in the 4th century A.D.
which prescribes a mixture of powdered salt, pepper, mint leaves and iris flowers. The
Romans used toothpaste formulations based on human urine. Since urine contains ammonia
it was probably effective in whitening teeth. An 18th century American toothpaste recipe
containing brunt bread has been found. Another formula around this time called for dragon's
blood, cinnamon and burnt alum.
However toothpastes and powders did not come into general use until 19th century. I n the
early 1800s, the toothbrush was used only with water, but tooth powders soon gained
popularity. Most were home made with chalk, pulverized brick and salt being common
ingredients. An 1866 Home Encyclopedia recommended pulverized charcoal and cautioned
that many patented tooth powders, t h e n commercially marketed, did more harm than
good.
By 1900, a paste made of Hydrogen peroxide and Baking soda came into being. Pre-mixed
toothpastes were first marketed in the 19th century, but did not surpass the popularity o f
tooth-powder until World War I. I n New York City in 1896, Colgate and Company first
manufactured toothpaste in the first collapsible tube, similar to that introduced for artist's
paints.
Fluoride started to be added to toothpastes in the 1914, but while the early use of fluoride was
criticized by the American Dental Association (ADA), fluoride toothpastes developed in the
1950s were approved. Countries limit and suggest different amounts acceptable for health.
Much of Africa has a slightly higher percent than the U.S.

Toothpaste is most commonly sold in flexible tubes, though harder containers are available.
The hard containers stand straight up, availing more of the toothpaste and saving shelf space.

Conclusion:
Dentifrices have evolved and improved over the last 2000 years. The most significant
improvement was the introduction of fluoride in the 1960s resulting in the development of
toothpastes with anticaries efficacy. For the majority of people, modern toothpastes, when
used properly, are safe and help to prevent dental caries, dental plaque formation and gingival
inflammation. However, the use of fluoride-containing pastes by young children should be
closely supervised by parents to restrict fluoride ingestion.

INGREDIENTS AND FLAVOUR

Active ingredients
Fluoride in various forms is the most popular active ingredient in toothpaste to prevent
cavities. Sodium fluoride (NaF) is the most common form; some brands use sodium
monofluorophosphate (Na2PO3F). Application of fluoride also prevents moisture build-up in
some surfaces. Other ingredients are less commonly used, including Hydroxyapatite
nanocrystals and calcium phosphate for reminerqlization, and strontium chloride or potassium
nitrate to reduce sensitivity.
Toothpastes come in a variety of flavors, most often being some variation on mint (spearmint,
peppermint, regular mint etc.). Other more exotic flavors include anise, apricot, bubblegum
(marketed mostly to children) , cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, lemon, orange, pine. Flavors, which
have been introduced but discontinued due to poor reception, include peanut buffer, iced tea
and whisky. Some pastes are unflavored.
Calcium used in toothpaste can be derived from animal, bones or from lime. Vegetarians
prefer to use toothpastes free of any ingredients derived from animals. For this reason in India,
toothpastes suitable for vegetarians have been introduced.

The exact composition of a particular toothpaste varies with each manufacturer, but a typical
formulation is:
Abrasive 10-40%,
Humectant 20-70%,
Water 5-30%,
Binder 1-2%,
Detergent 1-3%,
Flavour 1-2%, ,
Preservative 0.05-0.5% and
Therapeutic agent 0.1-0.5%.

ABRASIVES:
For efficient tooth cleaning, the dentifrice requires a degree of abrasiveness. The common
abrasives used include dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, calcium pyrophosphate, calcium
carbonate, and, more recently, silica gels. The abrasives have a hardness ranging between that
of dentine and a value below that of enamelin order to be safe but effective stain removers.

HUMECTANTS AND BINDERS:

Humectants are used in dentifrices to prevent loss of water and subsequent hardening of the
paste when it is exposed to air. The most commonly used humectants are glycerol and
sorbitol. Binders are hydrophilic colloids which disperse or swell in the presence of water and
are used to stabilise toothpaste formulations by preventing the separation of the solid and
liquid phases.

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DETERGENTS, FLAVOURS AND COLOURINGS:

Detergents lower the surface tension and therefore help loosen plaque deposits and emulsify
or suspend the debris removed from the tooth surface during cleaning. Detergents also
contribute to the foaming property of dentifrices, an effect which appeals to consumers. The
commonly used detergent in toothpaste is sodium lauryl sulphate.
Flavours constitute only a minor part of a dentifrice, but are important components for
consumer acceptance. The flavour of Toothpaste is usually a blend of several components.
The principal flavours used are peppermint, spearmint and wintergreen modified with other
essential oils of anise, clove, caraway, pimento, eucalyptus, citrus, menthol, nutmeg, thyme or
cinnamon. The humectants and some of the binders in toothpastes can act as nutrients for
various micro-organisms.
Colouring agents are also added to dentifrices. These include titanium dioxide for white pastes
and various food dyes for coloured pastes and gels.

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AIM:
Tests for various cations and anions were performed on different
toothpaste samples.

12

Materials Required:
Toothpaste samples to be analyzed
Test tubes
Chemical reagents
Filter paper
Glass rod

13

Theory:
Every toothpaste contains the following ingredients: binders, abrasives, subsers,
humectants, flavours, sweeteners, fluorides, tooth whiteners, a preservative and
water. Binders thicken toothpaste- they prevent separation of the solid and liquid
component, especially storage. They also effect the speed and volume of foam
production, rate of flavor release and product dispersal, the appearance of
toothpaste ribbon on the toothbrush. Some binders are gum solid alignate, methyl
cellulose, carrageen and magnesium aluminium silicate.

Ions:

Ions are atoms or molecules that have an electrical charge. These charged particles
have chemical properties that allow them to form many important chemical
molecules, such as salts, which are vital for biological systems. Ions can have either
a positive or negative charge. Ions with a negative charge are known as anions. Ions
with a positive charge are known as cations.

Types of Ions: Cation: Positively charged ions (Ca2+ ,Mg2+ )

Anion: Negatively charged ions (I- , CH3COO- )

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Cation:
Cations are atoms that have lostelectrons. Since they now have moreprotons than
electrons, cations have apositive charge.
Cations are one of the two types of ions. The other type is called an anion.
A cation has lost some electrons, so it is shown as X^Y+, with X being the atom,
and Y being the amount of electrons they have lost. For example, Fe^3+ is an ion of
Iron with 3 lost electrons.
When a single element, or group of elements, has a charge, it is known as an ion.
When an ion is positively charged, it's called a cation.
When an element or compound is in cation form, it can be represented by either the
element symbol or by a compound formula, with the amount of charge written as a
superscript immediately after the symbol or formula, as seen in the following table:

An easy way to remember that cations are positive ions is by replacing the 't' in
'cation' with a positive sign, +. Instead of writing cation, you would write ca+ion.
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The positive sign bears enough likeness to a 't' to be read as cation, yet it reminds
you of the definition!

How a Cation Forms:

Cations form when an element, or group of elements, (compounds) lose one or
more electrons. For many people, this idea is somewhat counterintuitive because we
do not equate losing things with being positive. But electrons are actually
negatively charged particles. So, when an element loses an electron, it becomes less
negative and more positive.
The sodium atom loses one electron to become a +1 cation. The process is shown in
the following diagram:

In figure one, the sodium atom has 11 electrons. When sodium loses one electron, it
becomes a +1 cation as shown in figure two. The +1 sodium cation now has 10
electrons, so it is smaller in size than when it had 11 electrons.

Examples of Cations:

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Cations can be formed from metal elements, as well as nonmetal elements. If a

metal element forms an ion, it always forms a cation. Some metals always form the
same type of cation. For example, sodium always forms a +1 cation and magnesium
always forms a +2 cation. Some metals are flexible and can form more than one
type of cation. Copper can form +1 or +2 cations, and iron can form +2 or +3
cations.
Nonmetal elements, like nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, are capable of forming
cations, as well. Hydrogen occurs quite frequently as a +1 cation, while nitrogen
and oxygen can form cations when they are in compound form. The ammonium ion
is a type of cation formed when nitrogen is bonded to four hydrogens. Examples of
nonmetal cations are shown in the following table:

Cations in Action
Cations can be found everywhere - inside of living things, in rocks and minerals,
and even in our food! Living things depend on cations for survival. Proper
functioning of our nervous system depends on the movement of potassium and
sodium cations through our nerve cells. Our body requires magnesium cations for
metabolizing food, our bones need calcium cations in order to be strong, and, of
course, our blood cells use iron cations to transport oxygen.

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Anion:
Anions are atoms or radicals (groups of atoms), that have gainedelectrons. Since
they now have more electrons than protons, anions have anegative charge. For
example Chloride ions (Cl-), Bromide (Br-), Iodide (I-). These are monovalent
anions, meaning they have a combining capacity with only one ion ofHydrogen.
Similarly there are bivalent anions, etc.
Anions are one of the two types of ions. The other type is called a cation, and have a
positive charge. Ions are atoms that have anelectrical charge.Anions are termed so
because they are attracted towards the Anode (the positive electrode). All Anions
tend to accept a proton H+ thus they are categorized as bases.

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Sub-Atomic Particles and Ions:

To talk about ions, we first need to review atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of
matter. It consists of three sub-atomic particles:
1. Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus (or core) of the
cell.
2. Neutrons are neutrally charged particles, and contribute to the overall mass
and size of the atom.
3. Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit, or circle, the nucleus.
In a neutral atom, the number of protons will equal the number of electrons. This
means that for every positive charge, there is a negative charge to balance it out.
However, in some cases, the number of protons will not equal the number of
electrons, and this will create an imbalance in the atom's charge and will form an
ion.

Formation of Anions and Salts:Since anions are negatively charged particles, the number of electrons must be
greater than the number of protons. This may occur when the atom receives an
electron from another atom or molecule. This negative charge will now allow
anions to attract and interact with positive ions (cations).
When anions form bonds with cations, they form salts. Salts are inorganic
molecules (lacking carbon, hydrogen, or both) that dissolve well in water,
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separating into anions and cations. In solution, these ions are also called an
electrolyte, which means they carry electric charges. These are the same electrolytes
advertised as being in Gatorade, Powerade, and other exercise drinks.

Procedure:
Tests for the presence of anions and cations present in toothpastes:
S No.

Experiment

Observations

20

Inference

1.

Take a pinch of toothpaste in a test tube and

add dil. H2SO4.

Colorless, odourless gas

with brisk effervescence

Maybe CO32-

2.
3.

Add BaCl2 solution to toothpaste

Add conc. HNO3 to the paste solution and heat.
Then add ammonium molybdate solution
Take a pinch of toothpaste in test tube and add
conc. H2SO4
Silver Nitrate test: Add dil. HNO3 to paste
solution. Boil it to remove CO2. Cool it and
then add AgNO3.
Add NH4OH to white precipitate
Add a pinch of sand and H2SO4 to the paste.
Heat it. Bring a glass rod dipped in water near
the mouth of the test tube.

White precipitate
Canary Yellow
precipitate or color
Faint yellow gas with
pungent smell
White precipitate

CO32PO43Confirmed
May be Cl-

Precipitate dissolves

Cl- confirmed

A waxy layer is formed

on the glass

F- confirmed

Take solution and odd conc. HNO3 followed

by solid HNO3. Boil, cool and then add
NH4OH

White precipitate formed Maybe Al 3+

4.
5.

6.

7.

White gelatinous
precipitate
Blue precipitate

Dissolve precipitate by boiling with NaOH

Al 3+ confirmed

1. Add NH4Cl to first part and boil.

2. Add dil. HCl to second part followed by a
drop of litmus solution and add NH4 OH
till smell of ammonia comes.
8.

Take test solution. Add (NH4)2 OH in excess

and then add 2ml of freshly prepared solution
of ammonium carbonate. Warm and keep
aside for 5 minutes. Divide to 3 parts:

White precipitate

May be Ba2+,
Sr2+, Ca2+

Green Color
Add K2CrO4 to first part

Ba2+ confirmed
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 Apply flame test

White precipitate
Crimson red color

Sr2+ confirmed

White precipitate
Brick red color

Ca2+ confirmed

Take paste solution, add solid NH4Cl and

White precipitate
warm it. Add NH4OH till it smell of ammonia.
Now add (NH4)3PO4 solution

Mg2+ confirmed

Add
(NH4)2SO4 to second part
Apply flame test
Add
(NH4)2C2O4 to third part
Apply flame test
9.

RESULTS:
Following the above procedure, analysis was carried out for different pastes.
Presence of following cations and anions was found in different toothpastes.
S.No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Toothpastes
Colgate
Promise
Aquafresh
Pepsodent
Close Up

Cations
Al3+, Mg2+ , Ca2+
Al3+ , Mg2+ , Ca2+
Mg2+ , Ca2+
Al3+ , Mg2+ , Ca2+
Ca2+ , Al3+

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Anions
CO32- , Cl- , PO43CO32- , Cl-, PO43CO32- , Cl- , PO43CO32- , Cl- , PO43CO32- , Cl- , PO43-

CONCLUSION:
The various cations and anions present in toothpastes are Al3+, Mg2+ , Ca2+ ,

CO32- , Cl- , PO43- .

BIBLIOGRAPHY
PRADEEPS CHEMISTRY
BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA
NCERT CHEMISTRY
GOOGLE
CHEMISTRY TODAY

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