MBS PUBLIC SCHOOL

chemistry project
topic:
study the presence of oxalate ions in guava fruit at
different stages of ripening

submitted by :
guided by :
name: Swaraj Patel Mr.
Jayram Samal
class: xii , section: c
roll no. : 02

This is to certify that Swaraj Patel of class 12th ‘c’ has

satisfactorily completed the project in chemistry on
‘presence of oxalate ions’.
As prescribed by Mr. Jayram Samal during academic
session 2019-20 as per guideline issued by the Central
Board of Secondary Education .
This project is a result of his effort and endeavour. I
prepared this report under his guideline.
Internal signature
Principal signature

INDEx:

1. CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3. AIM OF PROJECT
4. INTRODUCTION
5. THEORY
6. APPARATUS REQUIRED
7. CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
8. PROCEDURE
9. PRECAUTIONS
10. CALCULATIONS
11. CONCLUSIONS
12. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 I hereby acknowledge my deep sense of gratitude and
indebtedness to Mr. Jayram Samal whose immence help ,
genuine guidance , encouragement , necessary
suggestions, initiations , enthusiasm and inspiration made
this work a master art and a joint enterprise.
To study the presence of oxalate ions in guava fruit at
different stages of ripening

Guavas are tropical trees originating in Central America.

Their fruits are oval in shape with light green or yellow skin
and contain edible seeds. What’s more, guava leaves are
used as an herbal tea and the leaf extract as a supplement.
Guava fruits are amazingly rich in antioxidants , vitamin C ,
potassium and this fruit is a rich source of oxalate ions
whose content varies during the different stages of ripening.
A carboxylic acid, primarily found in plants and animals. It is
not an essential molecule and is excreted from our body,
unchanged. Our body either produces oxalate on its own or
converts other molecules like Vitamin C to oxalate. External
sources like food also contribute to the accumulation of
oxalate in our body. The oxalate present in the body is
excreted in the form of urine as waste. Too much of oxalate
in our urine results in a medical condition called
hyperoxaluria,.

Oxalate ions are extracted from the fruit by boiling pulp with
dilute H2SO4 .The oxalate ions are estimated volumetrically, by
titrating the solution with KMnO4 solution. A reagent, called the
titrant, of a known concentration (a standard solution) and
volume is used to react with a solution of the analyte or titrand,
whose concentration is not known. Using a calibrated burette or
chemistry pipetting syringe to add the titrant, it is possible to
determine the exact amount that has been consumed when the
endpoint is reached. The endpoint is the point at which the
titration is complete, as determined by an indicator. This is ideally
the same volume as the equivalence point. The volume of added
titrant at which the number of moles of titrant is equal to the
number of moles of analyte, or some multiple thereof (as in
polyprotic acids). In the classic strong acid-strong base titration,
the endpoint of a titration is the point at which the pH of the
reactant is just about equal to 7, and often when the solution
takes on a persisting solid colour as in the pink of
phenolphthalein indicator.

[A] Apparatus
1. 100ml measuring flask
2. Pestle & mortar
3. Beaker
4. Burette
5. Funnel
6. Weighing machine
7. Filter paper
[B] Chemical
1. Dil. H2SO4
2. (N/10) KMnO4 solution
[C] Guava fruits at different stages of ripening
1. Weighed 50 g of fresh guava and crushed it to a fine
pulp using pestle and mortar.
2. Transferred the crushed pulp to a beaker and added
about 50 ml dilute H2SO4 .
3. Boiled the content for about 10 minutes. Cooled and
filtered the contents in a 100 ml measuring flask
4. Made up the volume 100 ml by adding ample amount of
distilled water.
5. Took 20 ml of the solution from the flask and added 20
ml of dilute sulphuric acid to it.
6. Heated the mixture to about 60OC and titrated it against
(n/10) KMnO4 solution taken in a burette till the end
point had an appearance of pink colour.
7. Repeated the above experiment with 50 g of 1day, 2 day
and 3 day old guava fruits.

1. There should be no parallax while taking

measurements.
2. Spillage of chemicals should be checked.
3. Avoid the use of burette having a rubber tap as
KMnO4 attacks rubber.
4. In order to get some idea about the temperature of
the solution touch the flask with the back side of your
 hand. When it becomes unbearable to touch, the
required temperature is reached.
5. Add about an equal volume of dil. H2SO4 to the guava
extract to be titrated (say a full test tube) before
adding KMnO4 .
6. In case, on addition of KMnO4 a brown ppt. appears,
this shows that either H2SO4 has not been added or
has been added in insufficient amount. In such a case,
throw away the solution and titrate again.

1. Weight of the guava fruit for each time was 50 g

2. Volume of guava extract taken for each titration was 20 ml
3. Normality of KMnO4 solution was (1/10).
4. END POINT: Colour Changes to pink
1) For raw guava
N1V1 = N2V2
N1 x 10 = (1/10) x132
1/10 x Normality of oxalate =(x/100) = strength of oxalate
In fresh guava extract = normality x Eq. mass of oxalate ion
= 1.32/100 x 44g/litre of diluted extract
= 0.581 g L-1

2) For semi ripened guava (1 day old).

Strength of oxalate in one day old guava extract
=(1.37 /100) x 44g/litre of diluted extract
= 0.603 g L-1

3) For ripened guava

Strength of oxalate in fresh guava extract
= (1.39/100) x 44g/litre of diluted extract
= 0.612 g L-1
a) The normality of oxalate ions of;
(i) Fresh guava solution is = 1.32 ml
(ii) Semi-ripen guava solution is = 1.37 ml
(iii) Ripened guava solution is = 1.39 ml

b) The strength of oxalate ions of;

(i) Fresh guava solution is = 0.58 ml
(ii) Semi-ripened guava is = 0.60 ml
(iii) Ripened guava is = 0.61 ml

The content of oxalate ions in guava was found to be 59.67

per cent, which is close to the literature value of 60 percent.
It was also noticed that the content of oxalic ions grows with
ripening of guava.
1. SEARCH ENGINES USED :
 www.google.com
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.reader.google.com
 www.scribd.com
 www.quora.com
2. Practical Chemistry by Laxmi Publication
3. The family encyclopedia by Dorling Kindersley.
 DECLARATION

I Swaraj Patel of class xii hereby declare that the project work
presented is the report of my own work and has been carried
out under the supervision of Mr. Jayram Samal of
M.B.S PUBLIC SCHOOL

Name: Swaraj Patel

Class : XII
Sec :C
Date of submission :