QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID IN ASPIRIN
TABLET BY BACK-TITRATION
XX
XX
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DATE PERFORMED: XX
INSTRUCTOR’S NAME: XX
1. Discuss the use of a more dilute
NaOH solution for the
standardization of NaOH.
Solid sodium hydroxide is
hygroscopic, which means it easily absorbs
CO2 from the environment causing the
formation of carbonate ions. Carbonate
ions interfere in acid-base titrations
because 1) it is a weak base, and 2) it tends
to make the color change at the end point
less sharp. Reducing the concentration
through dilution is one method to prepare
sodium hydroxide solutions in such a way
that they have as little carbonate as possible
[1]
.
In addition, in order to obtain a
sharper endpoint during titration, a more
dilute NaOH solution is needed because
lesser number of moles of the reactant
would be involved.
2. Explain the rationale behind the
dilution and aliquoting of the aspirin
sample.
Dilution and aliquoting of the
aspirin sample is done so that lesser volume
of excess NaOH is needed for neutralization
and consequently, lesser volume of HCl for
back- titration. The aliquot samples are
used for replicates and will serve as
representative for the aspirin sample [2].
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3. Discuss the principles behind the use
of back titration in the analysis of
aspirin tablets.
Aspirin is a weak acid that undergoes
hydrolysis in a two-step reaction: a fast
reaction then a slow one [3]. The slow
reaction makes it unfavorable for direct
titration, thus, back-titration method was
used.
4. What is the importance of simmering
the tablet in the NaOH solution for 20
minutes?
The aspirin, degraded into its
component acids (acetic acid and salicylic
acid), is reacted to the excess NaOH
solution. Simmering is done to speed up
hydrolysis of the acids formed. It also
makes sure that all acids have been
neutralized to completion.
5. Discuss the possible sources of
errors and their effect on calculated
parameters.
i. Errors in weighing standard
sample is a possible source of
error that results to lower
molarity in standardization
leading to higher
%acetylsalicylic acid.
ii. Incomplete hydrolysis of
aspirin sample will cause fewer
acids to react with NaOH,
having more NaOH. Thus
 %acetylsalicylic acid will be
less.
iii. Over-titration causes the
volume of HCl titrant added to
be greater than the actual
volume needed. This yields to a
lower %acetylsalicylic acid.

REFERENCES

[1] Chemistry 321: Quantitative Analysis

Lab
Web Note. Acid-Base Titrations 1:
Standardization of NaOH and Titration
of
an Unknown Weak Acid.
http://web.pdx.edu/~atkinsdb/teach/3
21/NAOH.pdf (Accessed 04 March
2020)

[2] Harris, D. C. Sample Preparation. In

Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 7th ed.;
W. H. Freeman and Company: New York,
2007; pp 8, 645.

[3] Christian, G. D.; Dasgupta, P. K.; Schug, K.

A. Experiment 9 Determination of
Aspirin Using Back Titration. In
Analytical Chemistry, 7th ed.; John
Wiley:
New Jersey, 2014; pp E16-E18

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