Analytical Chemistry Lab. Dr.

Sham Wali

Standardization of Acetic acid & determination of acetic acid % in vinegar

Objective:

1. To standardize the commercial acetic acid solution.

2. To determine the N, w/w % & w/v % of acetic acid in a commercial vinegar solution.

Titration measures the concentration of an unknown solution that reacts with a solution of
known concentration.

 The unknown concentration is called analyte while the known concentration is called
titrant.
 The process is often used to check the purity of synthesized chemical compounds, such
as pharmaceuticals
 The concentration of the unknown can be calculated using the stoichiometry of the
reaction and the number of moles of standard solution needed to reach the so called
end point.
 The end point in titration is when an indicator signals that enough reaction has been
added to a solution to complete a reaction. This is indicated with a change in color or
intensity.
 Endpoint in titration is different from equivalence point in titration. When the total
number of moles of two solutions becomes equal, it is called the equivalence point.
Endpoint generally follows the equivalence. It refers to the point at which the indicator
changes color or intensity, signaling the completion of the reaction.
 The final point is indicated either by the physical change in the reaction or by the
addition of an organic substances known as an indicator.
Analytical Chemistry Lab. Dr. Sham Wali

Acid-base titration depends on the neutralization reaction between an acid and a base in a
solution

Types of Acid-base Titrations: Based on the strength of acids and bases, acid-base titrations are
of the following types:

1. Strong acid-Strong base, (pH = 7 at equivalence point).

2. Weak acid-Strong base, (pH > 7 at equivalence point)
3. Strong acid-Weak base, (pH < 7 at equivalence point)
4. Weak acid-Weak base, (pH varies)

Our Experiment, Titration of acetic acid (CH3COOH) with NaOH, is a good example for Weak
Acid-Strong Base Titration, Vinegar is mainly composed of water and ethanoic acid(acetic acid).
The concentration of ethanoic acid in vinegar may be found by titrating a diluted solution of
vinegar with standard sodium hydroxide solution

The stoichiometric amount of 1 mole of the strong base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is necessary
to neutralize 1 mole of the weak acid, acetic acid (CH3COOH) ,the chemical reaction between
acetic acid and sodium hydroxide is given below:

CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) →CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)

The end point in this experiment will be detected with an acid/base indicator. An acid/base
indictor is a colored substance with two or more different colors depending on the value of the
pH of the solution( shown in the table below). Phenolphthalein is the indicator used in this
experiment, and phenolphthalein is colorless in acid and neutral solutions but is dark-pink in
basic solutions
Analytical Chemistry Lab. Dr. Sham Wali

The principal difference between Vinegar and glacial acetic acid is how much water it contains.
But, there are other differences.

Vingar

Acetic Acid Uses: Both regular dilute acetic acid and glacial acetic acid serve many uses.

 In medicine, acetic acid is a highly effective disinfectant. It acts

against Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. It kills antibiotic
resistant bacteria. Other uses include cervical cancer screening and lysing red blood cells
to make white blood cell examination easier. Spraying acetic acid on livestock silage
keeps down fungal and bacterial growth.

 Acetic acid as vinegar is a familiar cleaning agent. On its own, it’s an excellent glass
cleaner.

 The common therapeutic characteristics of vinegar include reduction of blood pressure,

reduction of the diabetes effects, management of obesity, prevention of cardiovascular
diseases, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

 Vinegar adds a tangy flavor to recipes and reacts with baking soda to make bubbles that
help baked goods rise. It’s a pickling agent and occurs in condiments, such as ketchup,
mustard, and mayonnaise.

 Commercially, glacial acetic acids find use in ink, perfume, and dye manufacture. It is a
feedstock in other chemical production processes.

 In chemistry, acetic acid is a valuable solvent. It is particularly handy in recrystallization

experiments.
Analytical Chemistry Lab. Dr. Sham Wali

Molarity = No. of moles of solute/ Liter of solvent(V)

Moles of titrant = Mtitrant x Vtitrant
Moles of analyte = Manalyte x Vanalyte

At equivalence point

Moles of titrant = Moles of analyte

Moles of NaOH = Moles of CH3COOH

In case of Normality

No. of Eq NaOH = No. of Eq CH3COOH

(N1 x V1)NaOH = (N2 x V2)CH3COOH

Procedure

A) Standardization of Acetic acid by NaOH

1. Pipette 10ml of the prepared acetic acid solution and transfer it to a Conical flask, add 2
drops of Phenolphthalein (Ph.Ph) indicator.

2. After washing a burette with distilled water and standardized NaOH solution , fill the burette
with the prepared NaOH solution.

3. Titrate the CH3COOH solution with NaOH solution from the burette until the color changes
from color less to pink. Repeat the titration twice.
Analytical Chemistry Lab. Dr. Sham Wali

B) Determination of Acetic acid % in Vinegar

1. Wash a 100ml volumetric flask carefully and dry it and weigh it on a sensitive balance.

2. Pipette 10ml of vinegar sample and transfer it to the beaker, take the weight of the 10ml
vinegar which added, transfer it quantitatively to a 100ml volumetric flask, and complete the
volume to the mark by D.W.

3. Pipette 10ml of the dilute vinegar to a Conical flask, add 2 drops of Ph.Ph. indicator
(colorless).

4. Titrate with NaOH solution from the burette until a pink color will appear.

5. Repeat the titration twice and calculate the (w/w)% of CH3COOH which present in the
original solution, then calculate the (w/v) % of the original vinegar solution.

Calculation:

 Calculate the concentration in Normality and g/l of the commercial acetic acid solution.
 Determine the w/w %, w/v % of acetic acid in the vinegar solution