ABSTRACT

The purpose of this experiment was to separate a mixture of alum ferric and copper sulphate
using column (elution) chromatography. The slurry of alumina or silica was used as
stationary phase in the column chromatography, while the mixture solution that is to be
separated was the mobile phase. The mixture was let to elute until colours of bands shows up.
Alumina shows blue, yellow and green coloured where the blue coloured compound indicates
copper sulphate solution, yellow coloured compound indicates alum solution. While green
coloured compound indicates ferric solution. Since the time was not enough, silica only
shows the green colour.

OBJECTIVE
1. To separate a mixture of alum ferric and copper sulphate using column (elution)
chromatography

INTRODCUTION
In this experiment, a mixture of alum ferric and copper sulphate was separated by
elution chromatography. Elution chromatography is a technique used to separate components
of a mixture by washing down the solutes through a column by additions of fresh solvent.
The mixture dissolves in a mobile phase, is added at the column head. The solutes in the
mixture distribute themselves between the mobile phase and the stationary phase. Further
partition of the solutes occurs as more eluent is poured down the column.

Solute is carried down the column by the mobile phase. Thus if the solute is more
soluble in the mobile phase then it will spend more time in the mobile phase. The migration is
therefore high for this solute. Conversely if the solute is more strongly retained by the
stationary phase then the migration rate is small. These differences in rates separate the
components in the mixture into bands or zones in the column. The separated bands can be
isolated and further analysed by collecting the individual band as it passes out of the column.
METHOD

The slurry of alumina or silica was prepared by mixing the packing material with
water. It was started by weighing about 30 g of the packing material. Then, water is added to
slightly above the level of the powder. The mixture is mixed well. Then the slurry was poured
slowly into a column 2-3 cm at a time. The column is packed properly by knocking the end of
the column onto a soft padding (cloth, book, etc.) at the bench. The column was prepared
until it is packed to about 15 cm in length of alumina or silica. The column was clamped onto
a retort stand. A filter paper was cut to fit into the mouth of the column. Carefully, the filter
paper was lowered down to rest above the packing material. A beaker was placed underneath
the column and the stopcock was opened to collect the water from the column. The column
was never let to dry. The water is always made sure to be about 2 cm above the level of
alumina or silica. 2 cm3 of the given mixture was added into the column. The components
were eluted with distilled water until separation of the mixture occurs.
DATA AND RESULTS

Figure 1 Alumina Figure 2 Silica

DISCUSSION
The purpose of this experiment to separate a mixture of Alum Ferric and Copper
Sulphate using colum chromatography. Column chromatography is gravity driven which
means the more solvent on the top of column, the faster the solvent travels down the column.
Column chromatography operates the principle that the components of a mixture separate
differently between two immiscible phases. The mixture given to be separated contains
coloured compounds, thus the column was monitored until bands of coloured compounds
shows up. Figure 1 and figure 2 above shows different coloured eluates in two test tubes
(alumina and silica) respectively. Supposed we wanted to separate a mixture of two coloured
compounds-one yellow, one blue. The mixture looks green.

Alumina has more polar surface than silica and has several acidic features that help
chromatography process carried out more effectively than silica. Alumina is more sensitive to
the bounded amount of water. In figure 1, (alumina) shows more clearly the bands of
coloured compound than silica in Figure 2. Alumina shows blue yellow and green coloured.
Blue coloured compound indicates copper sulphate solution, yellow coloured compound
indicates alum solution, while green coloured compound indicates ferric solution. Since the
time was not enough, silica only shows the green colour indicates the ferric solution .

CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, the alum ferric and the copper sulphate had successfully separated by
column chromatography in alumina but not silica since it was not enough time for the silica
where it shows only the green colour indicates the ferric solution.

REFERENCES
1) Clark, J. (June, 2016). Column Chromatography. Retrieved 26 April, 2019 from
https://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/chromatography/column.html
2) Millar, S. (June 5,2012). Tips and Tricks for the Lab: Column Packing. Retrieved 26
April, 2019 from
https://www.chemistryviews.org/details/education/2040151/Tips_and_Tricks_for_the
_Lab_Column_Packing.html
3) Clark, J. (June, 2016). Thin Layer Chromatography. Retrieved 26 April, 2019 from
https://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/chromatography/thinlayer.html