See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/351060050

Homemade pH Indicators

Experiment Findings · April 2021

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25768.49924

CITATIONS READS

0 3,789

1 author:

Alexa Madriaga
Ryerson University
2 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Alexa Madriaga on 22 April 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Please do not adjust margins
COMMUNICATION
Homemade pH Indicators
Alexa M. Madriaga,*a
Received 7th December 2020,
Accepted 7th January 220x
DOI: 10.1039/x0xx00000x
The purpose of this experiment is to use beets (rich in betalains)
and blueberries (rich in andanthocyanins) as homemade pH
indicators using the water extraction method to determine the pH
of water, dawn dish soap, baking soda and baking powder solutions
in water. The pH was estimated by the colour change between the
solution and the fruit or vegetable pH indicator and was compared
to the edible pH color chart. These results were compared to the pH
determined by universal litmus paper to evaluate accuracy. This
experiment reveals the correlation that specific anthocyandins and
betalains are stable at certain pH values and as a result emit light
and are visible pigments to the human eye.
Introduction
The traditional and easiest way of measuring the pH is using
universal litmus paper to determine whether a solution is
acidic or basic. The constituents of universal litmus paper
include phenolphthalein (which is the most common synthetic
indicator) combined with thymol blue, bromythl blue and
methyl red in test strips1. Litmus paper changes colour (red) in
acidic solutions and blue and purple in basic solution and pH
can be determined by relating the color change of the litmus
paper to the pH scale. The pH scale (0-14) is reserved for
aqueous acidity measurements, owing to water's unique
ability to be amphoteric and originates from water’s
equilibrium constant 𝐾!" 1.Acidic solutions are characterized by
a pH less than 7 and more basic solutions possess a pH greater
than 7. Another way to measure the pH of solutions is to use
fruits and vegetables as natural pH indicators. Anthocyanins
are responsible for the colors, red, purple, and blue, are in
fruits and vegetables and are derived from a flavanol and has
the basic structure of flavylium ion, that is a lack of a ketone
oxygen at the 4-position2. The color and stability of
a. 35Saranac Blvd. Suite 313 Toronto, ON, M6A2G4, Canada. Email:
alexa.madriaga@ryerson.ca
† Alexa Madriaga is currently a second year Biomedical Sciences student attending
Ryerson University located in Toronto, Ontario.
Please do not adjust margins
anthocyanin pigments are influenced by pH, light,
temperature, and structure. In acidic conditions, anthocyanins
appear as red but turn blue to purple as the pH increases and
the solution becomes more basic. This experiment will extract
the anthocyanins from blueberries and beets using the water
extraction method in order to assess the pH of homemade
products and water samples. Beets contain betalain pigments,
which replace anthocyanins and include betacyanin (red-
purple) and betaxanthins (yellow)3.Peonidin is a type of
anthocyanidin abundantly found in berries, grapes, and red
wines, giving blueberries a magenta colour2. The hypothesis
for this experiment is that since different fruits and vegetables
contain different water soluble pigments and they will
measure different pH values and not be effective pH
indicators. In order to reject this hypothesis, different
homemade products and water samples will have their pH
determined using beets and blueberries and their values
compared.
Experimental
Part 1: Making two homemade pH indicator solution. Using a water-
based extraction, beets and blueberries were put into a put and
covered with water enough to cover the beets and blueberries and
water was brought to a boil until the colour of the water darkened,
about 10-15 minutes after boiling. After boiling, stove was turned
off and let solution cool for 15-30 minutes. After cooled to room
temperature, using a coffee filter to strain the solution, transferred
the solution into a container and kept it in the fridge overnight.
Part 2: testing the pH of household items using the homemade pH
indicator solution. Using 1 tbsp 3 different household liquids (liquid
detergent, baking powder and soda) added to 1/4th cup of water,
then recorded the initial colour and then added ¼ tsp of blueberry
pH solution until colour change was complete and recorded an
image of the solution with a white piece of paper placed beneath
the cup and recorded RGB values. This was repeated for each
household item with both pH indicators.
 Please do not adjust margins

COMMUNICATION Homemade pH Indicators

Part 3: testing water pH Using 3 different containers, 1 cup of 3 supported by the notion of different fruits and vegetables
different water samples were collected (bathroom and kitchen sink possessing anthocyanin, which is the general name applied to the
and bathtub). The pH of water was recorded using commercial test glycosides of anthocyanidin chromophores. The major
strip, then with 1 teaspoon of indicator solution and tested again anthocyanidins found in nature are pelargonidin, cyanidin,
with the commercial strip test. Then a picture of the tap water and peonidin, delphinidin, petunidin and malvidin give fruits and
pH solution was taken against a white background with RGB values vegetables their colour and preserve their structure at certain pH
recorded. ranges. The colour of anthocyanins is dependent on the pH of the
solution because of the molecular structure of anthocyanins have
an ionic nature 4 and the anthocyanin gives fruits and vegetables
Results and Discussion specific pigment which varies. Anthocyanidins stability is influenced
by the B-ring in the anthocyanidin structure and are known to
decrease anthocyanidin in stability in a neutral solution2. When
Table 1.1 Average of class aggregated data using blueberries comparing figure 1.1 to 1.2, figure 1.1 has less B-rings compared to
and beets as pH indicator using the water extraction method in figure 1.2, therefore it would be more stable in neutral solution.
a solution of baking soda, Dawn dish soap and baking powder. Also, when comparing figure 1.1 and 1.2, common chemical
properties such as a B-ring and multiple hydroxyl groups, therefore
they should share similar physical properties making betalains
pH indicator Average pH Average pH Average pH similarly to anthocyanidins. Figure 1.2 exhibits the chemical
used measured measured measured structure of peonidin, which has more B-rings making it more
using baking using dish using baking unstable, and that’s why there was a more dramatic colour change
soda soap (Dawn) powder to a green colour from a deep blue/purple as naturally acidic
blueberries were put into a neutral solution. The anthocyanidin
responsible for the green colour of blueberries is called cyanidin 3-
glucoside (an anthocyanin), which changes to a green colour in a
neutral to slightly basic solution. Ultimately, anthocyanin and
Blueberries 7.71± 1.75 6.63 ± 2.85 7.13 ± 1.26 betalain rich fruits and vegetables are excellent pH indicators
because they act like universal litmus paper, where certain
pigments will be emitted as light to the human eye at certain pH.
beets 7.36 ± 1.81 6.79 ± 1.52 6.27 ± 1.93 Therefore, relating this to the results, beets and blueberries
reflected different colours of light at specific pH because of the
different pH sensitive pigments they possess, with their chemical
composition varying in stability depending on the pH of solution,
Table 1.2 Average of class aggregated data of pH measured using making them serve as excellent pH indicators as anthocyanins and
blueberries and beets using the water extraction method with when betalains change colour in the presence of hydronium ions (acidic
pH measured using universal pH indicator paper was 7 solutions) and hydroxide ions (basic solutions).
O
HO H O
N

pH indicator used Average pH of pH measured using

OH
HO
water using pH universal pH HO HO N+ O-
O
indicator indicator paper O
HO O
OH
(2R)-1-[(2E)-2-(2,6-dicarboxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyridin-4-ylidene)ethylidene]-6-hydroxy-5-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-
trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-2,3-dihydroindol-1-ium-2-carboxylate

Blueberries 6.42 ± 1.12 7 Figure 1.1 chemical structure of betalain pigments found in beets

OH
beets 6.75 ± 0.65 7 HO O+
O

According to table 1.1 and table 1.2, blueberries and beets as pH
indicators measured similar results in homemade samples which
include baking soda, dish soap (Dawn), baking powder and water
samples. The colour change of the estimated using blueberries was
green when comparing it to the edible pH indicator colour changes
chart when measuring the pH of the household products and water
samples, while beets had a purple/magenta colour. Beets have a pH
of 5.3-6.6 and blueberries have a pH of 3.12-3.33. Therefore, there
was a more significant colour change with blueberries mixed in the
neutral solution because it is naturally acidic, whereas beets
preserved their colour because the pH of the solution was not that
significantly different. The different colours that result when
measuring the same products, but with different indicators can be
OH
OH
peonidin
Figure 1.2 chemical structure of peonidin pigments found in blueberries
Summary and Conclusions
In conclusion, blueberries and beets can serve as effective pH
estimators as this experiment showed consistency in measuring
pH values using beets and blueberries. This experiment rejects
the hypothesis because the results showed that despite the
different pH sensitive pigments found in beets and blueberries,
the pH value measured will be consistent despite the fact that

2 | M. Alexa., 2020, 00, 1-3 This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 20xx

Please do not adjust margins

 Please do not adjust margins

Homemade pH Indicators COMMUNICATION

blueberries use cyanidin 3-glucoside in neutral solutions, while

beets use betalains.
Therefore, the diverse chemical composition of anthocyanidins
results in the ability of different anthocyanins to be stable in
different pH values and be transmitted as light to the human
eye and the fact that betalains possess similar chemical
structure to anthocyanidins makes it act like anthocyanidins,
making them also be good pH indicators. In order to improve
this experiment, different solutions possessing different pH
values should be assessed using the homemade pH indicators
and their results should be compared to assess their
effectiveness and using different temperatures should be
considered when evaluating the effectiveness of each indicator.

Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts to declare

Notes and references

1 Leckman, Anna, et al. CHY 142 Laboratory (Kitchen

Chemistry) Manual , 2020.
2 Khoo, H. E., Azlan, A., Tang, S. T. & Lim, S. M. Anthocyanidins
and anthocyanins: Colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical
ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food and
Nutrition Research (2017)
doi:10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779.
3 Montoya-Arroyo, A. et al. Characterization of cell wall
polysaccharides of purple pitaya (Hylocereus sp.) pericarp.
Food Hydrocoll. (2014) doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2013.07.010.
4 Turturică, M., Oancea, A. M., Râpeanu, G. & Bahrim, G.
Anthocyanins: Naturally occuring fruit pigments with
functional properties. Annals of the University Dunarea de
Jos of Galati, Fascicle VI: Food Technology (2015).

This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 20xx M. Alexa., 2020, 00, 1-3 | 3

View publication stats

Please do not adjust margins