Presence of Oxalate ions

in Guava
A Chemistry Investigatory Project
Neemat naaz
12 th
 Certificate
T
his is to certify that Neemat naaz of class 12th has
satisfactorily completed the project in chemistry on
Presence of Oxalate ions prescribed by the AISSCE
course in the academic year 2019-20. I have
examined the project and hereby accord my approval of it
as a study carried out and presented in the manner
required for its acceptance. This does not necessarily
endorse or accept every statement made or opinion
expressed or conclusion drawn, but only signifies the
acceptance of the project for the purpose it is submitted
for.

MR. Rajesh Sir MRS Zeba Quidwai

Chemistry teacher Principal

, Acknowledgement
I hereby acknowledge my deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness
toMr P.N. Yadav, PGT (Chemistry) whose immense help, genius
guidance, encouragement, necessary suggestions, initiations,
enthusiasm and inspiration made this work a master art and a joint
enterprise.
Contents
o Aim of the project
o Introduction
o Theory
o Requirements
o Chemical Equations
o Procedure
o Precautions
o Observations
o Calculations
o Conclusions
 To study the presence of
AIM oxalate ions in guava fruit at
different stages of
ripening.

G
uava is a common sweet fruit found in India and many
other places around the world. Guavas are plants
in the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae) genus Psidium
(meaning "pomegranate" in Latin), which contains about
100 species of tropical shrub. On ripening it turns yellow
in color. Rich in vitamin C, this fruit is a rich source of
oxalate ions whose content varies during the different
stages of ripening.
Guavas have a pronounced and typical fragrance, similar to lemon rind but less in
strength.

What is oxalate?

I
t is a carboxylic acid, primarily found in plants and animals. It is not an essential
moleculeand is excreted fromour 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, commonly
referred to as kidney
stones. Diet is looked upon as a
preventive measure in addition to medication to treat
kidney stones.
 Theory

O
xalate 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.

T
he 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.
 Requirements
(A) Apparatus
100 ml measuring flask Pestle & Mortar Beaker Burette

Funnel Weighingmachine Filter Papers

(B) Chemicals
1. dil. H2SO4 2. (N/10)
KMnO4
solution

(C) Guava fruits at different

 stages of ripening.
Chemical Equations
Molecular Equations

Ionic Equations

Procedure
(1)Weighed 50 g of fresh guava and crushed it to a fine pulp using
pestle and mortar.
(2)Transferredthecrushed pulp to a beaker and added about 50 ml
dilute H2SO4 to it.
(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 600 C and titrated it against (n/10)
KMnO4 solution taken in a burette till the end point had an
appearance of pink colour.
(7) Repeatedthe above experiment with 50 g of 1day, 2 day and 3
day old guava fruits.

Precautions
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
KMnO4attacksrubber.
4. In order to get some idea about the temperature of the

solution touchthe flask with the back side of your hand. When

it becomes unbearable totouch, the required temperature is

reached.

5. Add about an equal volume of dil. H2SO4to the guava extract

tobe titrated (say a full test tube) before adding KMnO4.
6. Read the upper meniscus while taking burette reading
withKMnO4 solution.
7. In case, on addition of KMnO4a brown ppt. appears, this
showsthat either H2SO4has not been added or has been added
ininsufficient amount. In such a case, throw away the
solutionand titrate again.

Observations
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
Guava Burette Final Volume of Concurrent
Solution reading Reading KMnO4 Reading
Initial
Raw 150 18 132
Semi- 150 13 137
136.06
ripened
Ripened 150 10.8 139.2

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

=0.581g 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

=0.603g L-1

3) For ripened guava

Strength of oxalate in fresh guava extract = (
1.39/100) x 44g/litre of diluted extract
= 0.612g 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 = 1.39ml
(b) The strength of oxalate ions of;

(i) Fresh guava solution is =0.58ml

(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.labs.google.com

 www.quora.com
2. Practical Chemistry by Laxmi Publications.

3. The Family Encyclopedia by Dorling Kindersley.