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Chemistry Investigatory Project

Determination of Caffeine in tea sample
Name: Pratham

Class: 11D
Roll no: 11234

Subject: Chemistry
Topic: Determination of Caffeine in tea sample

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I would like to extend my gratitude to my teachers, Ms. Saji and Ms. Inderjeet, for their help.
I would also like to thank myself for putting in effort in the "Determination of Caffeine in
Tea Samples".

The errors, idiocies and inconsistencies rest solely with me. 

Pratham Mishra

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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this is the original and genuine work of Pratham Mishra and the
research carried out into the subject matter has been solely completed by this student
regarding the project.

Teacher’s Signature
Student’s Signature

CONTENTS
1. Certificate

2. Acknowledgment

3. Introduction

4. Theory

5. Uses of Caffeine
6. Effects of Caffeine

7. Procedure

8. Observations

9. Result

10. Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
Tea is the most commonly and widely used soft beverage in the household. It acts as a
stimulant for central nervous system and skeletal muscles. That is why tea removes

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 fatigue, tiredness and headache. It also increases the capacity of thinking. It is also used
for lowering body temperature. The principal constituent of tea, which is responsible for
all these properties, is the alkaloid-caffeine. The amount of caffeine in tea leavers varies
from sample to sample.

Originally it was thought that caffeine is responsible for the taste and flavour of tea. But
pure caffeine has been found to be a tasteless while substance. Therefore, the taste and
flavour of tea is due to some other substance present in it. There is a little doubt that the
popularity of the xanthenes beverages depends on their stimulant action, although most
people are unaware of any stimulation.

The degree to which an individual is stimulated by given amount of caffeine varies from
individual to individual.

For example, some people boast their ability to drink several cups of coffee in evening
and yet sleep like a long, on the other hand there are people who are so sensitive to
caffeine that even a single cup of coffee will cause a response boarding on the toxic.

The xanthene beverages also create a medical problem. They are dietary of a stimulant of
the CNS. Often the physicians face the question whether to deny caffeine-containing
beverages to patients or not. In fact children are more susceptible than adults to excitation
by xanthenes.

For this reason, tea and coffee should be excluded from their diet.

Even cocoa is of doubtful value. It has a high tannin content may be as high as 50 mg per
cup.

After all our main stress is on the presence of caffeine in xanthene beverages and so in
this project we will study and observe the quantity of caffeine varying in different
samples of tea leaves.

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 THEORY

The most important methylated alkaloid that occurs naturally is caffeine. Its molecular
formula is CsH10N4O2. Its IUPAC name is 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthene and common
name is 1-methylated thiobromine.  

Purely it is white, crystalline solid in the form of needles. Its melting point is 1230c. It is
the main active principle component of tea leaves. It is present in tea leaves up to 3% and
can be extracted by first boiling the tea leaves with water which dissolves many glycoside
compounds in addition to caffeine. The clear solution is then treated with lead acetate to
precipitate the glycoside compounds in the form of lead complex. The clear filtrate is
then extracted with extracts caffeine because it is more soluble in it then water.

Uses of Caffeine

1. In medicine, it is used to stimulate, central nervous system and to increase flow of

urine.

2. Because of its stimulating effects, caffeine has been used to relieve fatigue. But it is
dangerous and one may collapse if not consumes it under certain limit.

3. Caffeine is also used in analgesic tablets, as it is believed to be a pain reliever. It is

also beneficial in migraines.

Effects of Caffeine

l. It is psycho - stimulant.
2.  It improves physical and mental ability.

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 3.  Its effect in learning is doubtful but intellectual performance may improve where it has
been used to reduce fatigue or boredom.

4.When administered internally, it stimulates heart and nervous system and also acts as
diuretic. On the contrary their excessive use is harmful to digestion and their long use leads
to mental retardation.

PROCEDURE

First of all, 50 grams of tea leaves were taken as sample and 150 ml of water was added to it
in a beaker.

1. Then the beaker was heated up to extreme boiling.

2. The solution was filtered and lead acetate was added to the filtrater, leading to the
formation of a curdy brown colored precipitate.

3. We kept on adding lead acetate till no more precipitate has been formed.

4. Again solution was filtered.

5. Now the filtrate so obtained was heated until it had become 50 ml.

6. Then the solution left was allowed to cool.

7. After that, 20 ml. of chloroform was added to it.

8. Soon after, two layers appeared in the separating funnel.

9. We separated the lower layer.

10. The solution then exposed to atmosphere in order to allow chloroform to get evaporated.

11. The residue left behind was caffeine.

12. Then we weighed it and recorded the observations.

Similar procedure was performed with different samples of tealeaves and quantity of caffeine
was observed in them.

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 OBSERVATIONS

1. Red Label Tea (Brooke Bond)

Weight of china dish = 46.60gms

Weight of china dish with precipitate = 47.20gms

Amount of caffeine = 0.60gms

2. Yellow Label Tea (Lipton)

Weight of china dish = 46.60gms

Weight of china dish with precipitate = 47.15gms

Amount of caffeine = 0.55gms

3. Lipton Green Tea

Weight of china dish = 46.60gms

Weight of china dish with precipitate = 47.05gms

Amount of caffeine = 0.45gms.

CONCLUSION

Graphically plotting various tea samples in accordance with the amount of caffeine present in
them, we present a not so stunning find -

1. Quantity of caffeine in Red label tea is 60mg/sample of 50 gm

2. Quantity of caffeine in Yellow label tea  is  55mg/sample  of 50 gm

3. Quantity of caffeine in Green label tea is 45mg/sample of 50 gm

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 Order of quantities of caffeine in different samples of tealeaves,

Red Label > Yellow Label > Green Label

Bibliography
icbse.com
https://www.wikipedia.org/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814612004992

https://www.slideshare.net/

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