IMJADA, ANGELINE P.

Date Performed: August 5, 2014

BSES-IIA Prof. Corazon D. Sacdalan

EXPERIMENT NO.5
DETERMINATION OF CALCIUM CARBONATE CONTENT IN AN EGGSHELL

I.INTRODUCTION
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common
substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine
organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient
in agricultural lime, and is created when Ca ions in hard water react with carbonate ions
creating limescale. It is commonly used medicinally as a calcium supplement or as an antacid, but
excessive consumption can be hazardous.
To avoid the breakage of eggs before reaching market, the eggshells needs to be as
strong as possible. The strength of eggshells is mainly determined by the percentage of calcium
carbonate in it. In order to monitor the quality of eggshells, the following experiment has to be
done to determine the percentage of calcium carbonate in eggshells. In this experiment, back
titration is used. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the percentage by mass of calcium
carbonate in eggshells.

II. OBJECTIVES
To determine the calcium carbonate content in an eggshell.

II. MATERIALS AND APPARATUS

Pipet, buret, Erlenmeyer flask, graduated cylinder, hot plate. Reagents: Hydrochloric
acid, sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein.

IV. PROCEDURE
The weighed eggshell was placed into a beaker and 30mL of previously standardized
HCl was added into it. The mixture was warmed for 25 minutes using hot plate until all the
bubbles was disappeared. Then, the mixture was cooled to RT and was filtered. 1-2drops of
phenolphthalein was added to the filtrate and titrated with standardized NaOH. Last, the mass and
the % of CaCO3 were calculated.

V. DATA AND RESULTS

TRIAL
1 2 3
Mass of eggshell 0.1132g 0.1838g 0.1793g
Volume of HCl used 30mL 30mL 30mL
Volume of NaOH
Final buret reading 3.5mL 10.2mL 4mL
Initial buret reading 0mL 0mL 0mL
Volume of NaOH
used 3.5mL 10.2mL 4mL
Mass of CaCO3 0.1131g 0.08207g 0.1106g
% of CaCO3 99.91% 44.65% 61.84%
VI. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
In the first trial, the mass of the eggshell used was 0.1132g. The volume of HCl used was
30mL and the volume of NaOH used by it was 3.5mL. The mass of CaCO3 in it was 0.1131g and
the % of CaCO3 in it was 99.91%. In the second trial, the mass of the eggshell used was 0.1838g.
The volume of HCl used was 30mL. and the volume of NaOH used by the it was 10.2mL. The
mass of CaCO3 in it was 0.0.08207g and the % of CaCO3 in it was 44.65%. In the third trial, the
mass of the eggshell used was 0.0.1793g. The volume of HCl used was 30mL. and the volume of
NaOH used by the it was 4mL. The mass of CaCO3 in it was 0.1106g and the % of CaCO3 in it
was 61.84%.

VII. CONCLUSION
Based on the table shown, the mass of eggshell used in the first trial was 0.1132g and
the % of CaCO3 in it was 99.91%. Then, in the second trial, the mass of eggshell used was
0.1838g and the % of CaCO3 in it was 44.65%. And in the third and last trial, the mass of eggshell
used was 0.1793g and the %CaCO3 in it was 61.84%. It means that, the lesser the mass of the
eggshell used, the higher its % of CaCO3content will be.

VIII. APPLICATION
The main use of calcium carbonate is in the construction industry, either as a building
material or limestone aggregate for road building or as an ingredient of cement or as the starting
material for the preparation of builder's lime by burning in a kiln. Calcium carbonate is also used
in the purification of iron from iron ore in a blast furnace. The carbonate is calcined in situ to give
calcium oxide, which forms a slag with various impurities present, and separates from the purified
iron. Also, Calcium carbonate is widely used medicinally as an inexpensive dietary calcium
supplement or gastric antacid. It may be used as a phosphate binder for the treatment
of hyperphosphatemia (primarily in patients with chronic renal failure). It is also used in the
pharmaceutical industry as an inert filler for tablets and other pharmaceuticals.Calcium carbonate
is used in the production of toothpaste and has seen a resurgence as a food preservative and color
retainer, when used in or with products such as organic apples or food.