(GODDAMN XMB, third time i've entered this, so MULTIPLE edits will be made so i don't type it TEN times)
Being intrigued by purple cabbage indicator, last Saturday I gathered up my digital camera and some sample bags and headed out into the neighborhood
to gather up some pigments. I picked eight different flowers, and already had blueberry juice.
Sample #1 Pansies
Sample #2 Petunias
Sample #3 Red/Orange rose
Sample #4 Yellow rose
Sample #5 Pink Rose
Sample #6 Red Hollyhock
Sample #7 Pink Snapdragon
Sample #8 Unknown Purple Flower
Sample #9 is Blueberry juice
I returned home and gathered up 9 wineglasses and boiled some DH2O. I placed some of each flower and 20ml boiling water in each one and
let steep for 20 minutes then soaked a quarter sheet of filter paper ineach for 15 minutes. Let them air dry.
I made myself a grid on the back of an old campaign sign, and arranged samples of each indicator on it.
I used one drop of each of the following reagents on my samples:
HCl (aq)
5% White Vinegar
Saliva
Saturated Solution of NaHCO3
Household Aqueous NH3
Saturated Solution of NaOH
[Edited on 6-3-2014 by arkoma]
[Edited on 6-3-2014 by arkoma]
[Edited on 6-3-2014 by arkoma]
[Edited on 6-3-2014 by arkoma]
[Edited on 6-3-2014 by arkoma]numos - 2-6-2014 at 19:33
Interesting, is the pure form a solid? Would it be possible to purify/concentrate? Apparently some Anthocyanin fluoresces, Your best luck in finding
them in bulk may be purple corn which has a very large concentration of the substance, 1.5% in weight... Quite a bit for a pigment. arkoma - 3-6-2014 at 07:08
sorry for the mess ^^. SEVERE internet problems, and now I have to go to work
Will edit in my conclusions this eveningThe Volatile Chemist - 4-6-2014 at 13:06
sorry for the mess ^^. SEVERE internet problems, and now I have to go to work
Will edit in my conclusions this evening
Some FINE work! Well done! (This prob belongs in the bio. section of SM, but that's ok.)
Very interesting, I love the pictures. If you like the idea I posted about in: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=30490 I'd love if you put your final work where I talk about there.
Nice job!arkoma - 4-6-2014 at 15:16
Thanks, young fella ^^ I was really intrigued by the SHARP color change in the blueberry papers at the high end of the pH scale. The anthocyanin
pigments change color by picking up and shedding hydroxyl groups so that kinda makes sense. Reference
And it's here in "reagent and apparatus acquisition" because I have neither a pH meter or "store bought" pH papers, and there are probably other
members in the same predicament. I can barely afford to "pay attention" but I can STILL do science!
^^^^ A veritable cornucopia of indicators!! (where all but first two samples came from)UnintentionalChaos - 4-6-2014 at 18:47
Sample 8 is Larkspur or Delphinium, which are closely related.
Here are some other good choices:
Red Hibiscus flower. Can be purchased for very little as an herbal tea. Has a red --> green shift from acid to base.
Curcuminoids (from turmeric root, a common spice, especially in indian cooking). These are oil/alcohol/acetone soluble and poorly soluble in water.
Color shifts from bright yellow to red in base.sparkgap - 5-6-2014 at 06:08
Should you be able to get to hydrangeas, you might also want to include them in your experiments.
sparky (~_~)The Volatile Chemist - 5-6-2014 at 14:24
Again, nice job, and good suggestions, UnC. ! (sorry for the abbrev. ...)
Arkoma, in regards to the site I linked to, thanks for posting on it! It may come down if there is no interest in it, but thanks!
Will edit in my conclusions this evening
