St.

Paul College of Ilocos Sur

(Member, St. Paul University System)
St. Paul Avenue 2727, Bantay, Ilocos Sur

BIOCHEM LABORATORY: SAPONIFICATION

Materials Laboratory Equipment

• 20% NaOH • Bunsen burner
• Table salt (1 cup) • 150 mL beaker
• Distilled water (1L) • 400 mL beaker
• Ice (1 pack) • Stirring rod
• Thick Cloth • Spatula
• Funnel
• Iron stand
Each group should have an assigned oil: • Iron ring
• Wire gauze
• (Group 1 & 4) Coconut oil (1 cup)
• Filter paper
• (Group 2 & 5) Olive oil (1 cup)
• Blue and Red Litmus Paper
• (Group 3 & 6) Canola oil (1 cup) • Graduated Cylinder

PROCEDURES

1. Take 25 ml of coconut oil in a graduated cylinder and pour it into a 250 ml glass beaker.
2. Measure 30 ml of 20% NaOH solution in another graduated cylinder and add it into the
beaker containing vegetable oil (any of the assigned oil based on your group).
3. Vigorously stir the mixture using a glass rod.
4. Touch the beaker from outside. It is observed that the beaker is warm.
5. Place the beaker on a wire gauze placed over a tripod stand.
6. Heat the beaker using a Bunsen burner till the mixture become a whitish paste.

Important:
a. If the mixture cools to a syrup, liquid, the saponification process is not yet
complete. Continue heating and stirring the mixture.
b. Add 5mL more of the NaOH solution and boil the mixture until all the water has
evaporated.

7. Remove the beaker from the flame and allow it to cool.

8. Dip a red litmus paper in the suspension formed.
9. When dipped in the suspension, then observe.

NSC 102 - BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY: SAPONIFICATION

 10. Dip a blue litmus paper in the suspension. Then observe.
11. To the above suspension, add 49ml of common salt and stir it well with a glass rod.
12. After adding common salt, soap in the suspension gets precipitated out as solid.
13. Take a filter funnel and place a filter paper in it and fix it in a stand.
14. Place a beaker below the funnel.
15. Pour the contents of the beaker into the funnel over a glass rod and filter the contents of
the beaker.
16. After filtration, soap is left behind in the filter paper.
17. Transfer the soap into another filter paper using a spatula and dry it by pressing with
another filter paper.
18. Then, cut it into desired shape with a spatula. Allow the soap to air-dry.

Data Table
Observation on the Saponification Process
Oil Sample and Brand:
Steps Observation
1. Addition of base to the oil
2. Boiling of the mixture after 5 minutes
3. Boiling of the mixture after 20
minutes
4. After all the liquid has evaporated
5. Addition of NaCl solution to the soap
mixture
6. Filtration of the mixture
7. Air-dried soap

Guide Questions
1. What is the color of the red and blue litmus paper when you dip in the suspension? What
does the color indicate?
2. Why is soap effective cleaning tool? Explain the chemical action of the soap and
detergent on dirt or germs.
3. What is micelle? Illustrate.
4. Why is soap not effective in hard water?

NOTE: You will be using the same format as the latter lab reports that you made. DO NOT include your
members just write your name, group # and your course, year /section the date you submitted.
Ex.
CONTILLO, SHAINA MAE C.
GROUP #1
BSN 1 - F
Oct. 23, 2023

NSC 102 - BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY: SAPONIFICATION