CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATOR

PROJECT
CONTENTS: -
Aim
Introduction
Requirements
Wet test for basic radicals
Wet test for acid radicals
Test for the presence of food stuff
Conclusion
Precautions
Bibliography
Aim: - Quantitative analysis of
coconut water

INTRODUCTION
COCONUT PLANT
The Coconut tree (Cocos Nucifera.) is a member of the
family Arecaceae (Palm Family). It is the only accepted
species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can
refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit,
which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut. The spelling
cocoanut is an archaic form of the word. The term is
derived from the 16th-century Portuguese and
Spanish word coco meaning "head" or "skull", from
the three indentations on the coconut shell that
resemble facial features. The coconut is known for its
great versatility as seen in the many uses of its
different parts and found throughout the tropics and
subtropics. Coconuts are part of the daily diets of
many people. Coconuts are different from any other
fruits because they contain a large quantity of "water"
and when immature they are known as tender-nuts or
jelly-nuts and may be harvested for drinking. When
mature, they still contain some water and can be used
as seed nuts or processed to give oil from the kernel,
charcoal from the hard shell and coir from the fibrous
husk. The endosperm is initially in its nuclear phase
suspended

within the coconut water. As development continues,

cellular layers of endosperm deposit along the walls of
the coconut, becoming the edible coconut "flesh".
When dried, the coconut flesh is called copra. The oil
and milk derived from it are commonly used in
cooking and frying; coconut oil is also widely used in
soaps and cosmetics. The clear liquid coconut water
within is potable. The husks and leaves can be used as
material to make a variety of products for furnishing
and decorating. The coconut also has cultural and
religious significance in many societies that use it.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young green
coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm). In early
development, it serves as a suspension for the
endosperm of the coconut during the nuclear phase of
development. As growth continues, the endosperm
matures into its cellular phase and deposits into the
rind of the coconut meat. Coconut water has long
been a popular drink in the tropical countries where it
is available fresh, canned, or bottled. Coconuts for
drinking are served fresh, chilled or packaged in many
places. They are often sold by street vendors who cut
them open with machetes or similar implements in
front of customers. Processed coconut water for retail
can be found in ordinary cans, Tetra Pak’s, or plastic
bottles, sometimes with coconut pulp or coconut jelly
included. Coconut water can be fermented to produce
coconut vinegar. It is also used to make nata de coco,
a jelly-like food. Bottled coconut water has a shell life
of 24 months. In recent years, coconut water has been
marketed as a natural energy or sports drink having
low levels of fat, carbohydrates, and calories, and
significant electrolyte content. Marketers have also
promoted coconut water for having low levels of fat,
carbohydrates, and calories. However, marketing
claims attributing tremendous health benefits to
coconut water are largely unfounded. Unless the
coconut has been damaged, it is likely sterile. There is
a single documented case where coconut water has
been used as an intravenous hydration fluid when
medical saline was unavailable. Although this is not
generally recommended by most physicians today, it
was a common practice during the Khmer Rouge
regime in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Coconut
water has long been a popular drink in the tropics,
especially in India, Brazilian Coast, Southeast Asia,
Pacific Islands, Africa, and the Caribbean, where it is
available fresh, canned, or bottled. In the Philippines,
it is known as ‘buko’.

Harvesting
Fresh coconuts are typically harvested from the tree
while they are green. A hole may be bored into the
coconut to provide access to the liquid and meat. In
young coconuts, the liquid and air may be under some
pressure and may spray slightly when the inner husk is
first penetrated. Coconuts which have fallen to the
ground are susceptible to rot and damage from insects
or animals.

Medical Use
It is said, albeit quite incorrectly, that coconut water is
identical to human plasma and can be injected directly
into the human bloodstream. The story has its origin
from World War II where British and Japanese
patients were given coconut water intravenously in an
emergency because saline was unavailable. Since
then, this rehydration technique has been used only
for short-term emergency situations in remote
locations where plasma is not available. Although
substituting coconut water for saline is not
recommended by physicians today, it was a common
practice during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia
from 1975 to 1979.
The Documentation Center of Cambodia cited the
practice of allowing untrained nurses to administer
green coconut water during the Pol Pot regime as a
crime against humanity.

Health Benefits
 Coconut water is a very refreshing drink to beat
tropical summer thirst. Its liquid is packed with
simple sugars, electrolytes, and minerals to
replenish dehydration within the human body.
 Research studies suggest that cytokinin’s (e.g.,
kinetin and transzeatin) in coconut water found to
have significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic,
and anti-thrombotic (anti-clot formation) effects.
 Coconut water is composed of many naturally
occurring bioactive enzymes such as acid
phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase,
 peroxidase, RNA-polymerases etc. In effect, these
enzymes help in the digestion and metabolism.
 Despite being very light in consistency, its water
has proportionately better composition of
minerals like calcium, iron, manganese,
magnesium and zinc than some of the fruit juices
like oranges.
 Its liquid is also a very good source of B-complex
vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin,
pyridoxine, and folates, these vitamins are
essential in the sense that the human body
requires them from external sources to replenish.
 Coconut water contains very good amount of
electrolyte potassium.100ml of water has 250mg
of potassium and 105mg of sodium. Together,
these electrolytes help replenish electrolyte
deficiency in the body due to diarrhea (loose
stools).
 Further, fresh coconut water has a small amount
of vitamin-C (Ascorbic Acid). It provides about
2.4mg or 4% of RDA. Vitamin C is a water-soluble
anti-oxidant

REQUIREMENTS
Coconut Water
Ferrous sulphate solution
 Concentrated sulphuric acid
Lead acetate solution
Silver nitrate solution
Ammonium molybdate
Concentrated nitric acid
Potassium dichromate
Sodium hydroxide solution
Methylene blue
Benedict’s solution
Copper sulphate solution
Sodium cobaltite solution
Disodium hydrogen phosphate
Ammonium chloride
Ammonium carbonate
Potassium pyro antimonite
Universal indicator

WET TEST FOR BASIC RADICALS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATIO INFERENCE

 N
Sodium
Potassium
Pyro White milkiness Na+ is confirmed.
aluminate is is observed.
added to
coconut
water.
Potassium
Freshly Yellow
prepared precipitate K+ is confirmed.
sodium salt is observed.

Magnesium
Add a pinch of
magnesium White Mg2+ is present.
chloride, a precipitate
few is formed.
drops of
ammonium
phosphate
solution to
coconut
water.

Calcium
Add solid A white
ammonium precipitate is Ca2+ is present.
chloride,
ammonium formed
hydroxide and
 ammonium
carbonate to
coconut water
and ammonium
oxalate
solution.

WET TEST FOR ACID RADICALS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Chloride
Silver nitrate test: - A white precipitate Cl- may be
Add conc. Nitric acid is formed. present
and silver nitrate
solution. A Yellow
precipitate is Cl- is present
Chromyl chloride
formed. confirmed.
test: -
Mix a small quantity
of the salt with a
small amount of
powdered
Potassium
dichromate. Take a
mixture in test
tube and add conc.
Sulphuric acid Heat
the tube and pass the
red vapours evolved
into a gas detector
containing
sodium hydroxide
solution. To the
yellow thus obtained
add dil.
Acetic acid lead
acetate solution.
Oxalate ion
Add calcium chloride A white precipitate Oxalate ion is
and is obtained. present.
acetic acid to the
coconut water.
Nitrate
Copper chips test: - Dark brown fumes NO3- ion may
Heat a small quantity are evolved. be
of present.
coconut water with
conc.
Sulphuric acid and A dark brown ring NO - is present.
3
few copper chips. form.
Brown ring test: -
Add a small quantity
of freshly prepared
solution
ferrous sulphate to a
part of the aqueous
solution
and then pour conc.
Sulphuric acid slowly
along the sides of the
test tube.

Phosphate
Ammonium Yellow precipitate Phosphate ion
molybdate is is present
test: Add conc. Nitric formed
acid to coconut water
and boil then add
ammonium
molybdate solution to
it.

TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF FOOD

STUFF

Sr. No EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1. Benedict’s test: -
Benedict’s No precipitate is Reducing
solution is Observed sugar is
added to 5ml of absent
2. No
coconut water and
heated in water decolorization is Reducing
bath observed sugar is
3.
for 5 minutes absent.
A blue
Methylene Blue
precipitate is Proteins and
test: -1-2 drops of
obtained fats are
methylene blue is
present
added to coconut
Water.
CuSO4+NaOH
Test: -
Copper sulphate
 and
NaOH is added to
Coconut water

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

pH of fermented An orange tinge is pH=5
coconut water is observed on pH
tested using paper
universal indicator
pH of fermented A green tinge is pH=6
coconut water is observed on pH
tested using paper.
universal indicator

CONCLUSION
A) The pure sample of coconut water contains respective
ions: -
1. Chloride
2. Nitrate
3. Phosphate
4. Dichromate
5. Zinc
6. Magnesium
7. Potassium
8. Calcium
9. Sodium
B) The pure sample of coconut water is acidic in nature.
C) The pure sample of coconut water contains starch, oils
and fats.

PRECAUTIONS
Concentrated solutions should be handled with immense care.
Hands should be washed thoroughly after performing each
experiment.
If chemicals come into contact with your skin or eyes, flush
immediately with copious.
Never leave burners unattended. Turn them off whenever you
leave your workstation.
Never point a test tube or any vessel that you are heating at
yourself or your neighbor.
The experiments should be conducted at room temperature.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
To complete this project, I have taken help from the following books
and websites: -
1. www.google.com
2. www.wikipedia.com
3. Comprehensive Chemistry Class XII
4. Comprehensive Practical Chemistry Class XII
5. Morden’s ABC+, Nytra class XII
ADITYA