AIM/OBJECTIVE:

To determine the concentration of phosphates in cola soft drinks and to find the
molar absorptivity using UV-VIS spectroscopy.

INTRODUCTION:
Phosphorus is an element which is essential to plants and living beings. Phosphorus is found in
agricultural fertilisers, laundry detergents and cola soft drinks. It can be analysed in many ways.
UV-VIS spectroscopy is one such way in which the concentration of phosphorus can be
quantified. The procedure in this experiment uses the reaction between ascorbic acid and
antimony-phospho-molybdate complex to find the concentration of phosphate. Phosphate is
the ion in which phosphorus exists in solution. The ascorbic acid, reduces this complex, which is
yellow, to a molecule which is blue in colour. The shade of blue obtained is directly proportional
to the [P] in solution. All spectroscopic methods are based on Beer-Lamberts Law which states:

A=bC
Where,
A = absorbance
= molar absorptivity
(M-1cm-1)
c = concentration (mol/L)
b = internal cell length (cm)

When the calibration curve is forced through the origin and the cell length is 1cm, the value of
is equivalent to the slope of the calibration curve. The blue colour of the solution formed
can only be measured at wavelengths of 650nm or 850nm in the visible spectrum
RESULTS:
Table1.
A table showing the absorbance values obtained for different diluted values of P

Absorbance (A) P Concentration (mg/L)

0 0
0.295 0.5
0.446 1.0
0.710 1.5
1.277 2.0

Table 2.
A table showing four absorbance values obtained for 0.5ml cola solution (unknown sample,
standards and reagent blank)

Absorbance(A)

0
0.379
0.465
0.425

Table 3.
A table showing four absorbance values obtained for 1.0ml cola solution (unknown sample,
standards and reagent blank)

Absorbance(A)

0
1.117
1.073
1.075