INTRODUCTION Slide Script
“brightest morning everyone, we are the APXS, and today we will present our study titled
‘Chemical Analysis of Calcium Carbonate in Eggshells as a Sustainable Soil
Amendment.’
In our daily lives, eggshells are commonly discarded as waste, yet they are naturally rich in
calcium carbonate — a compound known to improve soil quality. At the same time, many
farmers rely on synthetic soil treatments that can be costly or harmful to the environment.
This study explores the idea of turning waste into a resource by analyzing the calcium
carbonate content of chicken eggshells to assess their potential as an eco-friendly
alternative for soil enrichment.”
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Slide Script
“Despite the high calcium carbonate content in eggshells, they are often thrown away
without being reused or recycled. Meanwhile, farmers continue to depend on chemical soil
enhancers, which may not be sustainable long-term.
This leads to the central problem of our study:
Can eggshells be used as a natural soil amendment by determining how much calcium
carbonate they contain?
Through this study, we aim to provide a scientific basis for reusing eggshell waste as an
environmentally sustainable alternative in agriculture.”
RESEARCH QUESTIONS Slide Script
“To guide our investigation, we formulated the following research questions:
1. What is the percentage of calcium carbonate present in chicken eggshells?
2. Can the calcium carbonate content support the use of eggshells as a soil
amendment?
These questions helped us focus on both the quantitative results of the analysis and the
possible real-world application of the findings.”
HYPOTHESIS Slide Script
“Based on literature and initial assumptions, we proposed the following hypothesis:
Chicken eggshells contain a high percentage of calcium carbonate — approximately
95% — which makes them a viable candidate for use as a sustainable soil
amendment.
This hypothesis was tested through a chemical analysis involving back titration to
determine the exact calcium carbonate content in the samples.”
Apparatuses and Instruments Used in the Methods:
1. Beaker
• Use: Holding solutions, eggshell powder, or for preliminary mixing.
• Safety: Handle with care to avoid breakage.
2. Conical Flask (Erlenmeyer Flask)
• Use: For titration — where the reaction between excess HCl and eggshell occurs.
• Safety: Swirl gently to avoid spills.
3. Burette
• Use: To accurately deliver sodium hydroxide (NaOH) during the back titration.
• Calibration: Needs to be calibrated before use for precision.
• Safety: Ensure secure mounting to avoid breakage.
4. Pipette (Volumetric or Graduated)
• Use: To transfer a precise volume of HCl.
• Calibration: Must be calibrated for accurate measurements.
• Safety: Avoid pipetting by mouth; use a pipette filler.
5. Pipette Filler or Bulb
• Use: Assists in safely drawing liquid into the pipette.
• Safety: Prevents direct contact with chemicals.
6. Measuring Cylinder
• Use: For measuring approximate volumes of liquids.
• Safety: Use for non-critical measurements only.
7. Mortar and Pestle
• Use: To grind dried eggshells into fine powder for reaction.
• Safety: Clean properly to avoid contamination.
8. Funnel
• Use: For transferring liquids or powders into containers.
• Safety: Avoid spills; use filter paper if filtering is needed.
9. Balance (Analytical or Digital)
• Use: To measure the mass of the eggshell powder accurately.
• Calibration: Must be calibrated regularly for accuracy.
• Safety: Place on a flat surface and avoid drafts.
10. Glass Stirring Rod
• Use: For mixing solutions during preparation.
• Safety: Handle gently to avoid breaking.
11. Wash Bottle (with distilled water)
• Use: To rinse the inside of flasks or transfer solutions.
• Safety: Use only distilled water to avoid contamination.
12. Indicator (Phenolphthalein)
• Use: To determine the endpoint of the back titration.
• Safety: Use only a few drops; store away from heat and light.
Optional/Advanced Instruments:
• pH meter (if used to confirm endpoint)
• Hot plate or oven (for drying the eggshells)
Why Use Back Titration for Eggshell (CaCO₃) Analysis?
Back titration is used when direct titration is not practical. In the case of calcium
carbonate in eggshells, back titration is ideal because:
1. Calcium carbonate is insoluble in water
• Direct titration requires the analyte to dissolve completely, but CaCO₃ is only
sparingly soluble in water.
• So, we cannot titrate it directly with acid while it’s in solid form.
2. The reaction is slow or incomplete if done directly
• Even if you add acid directly to the solid CaCO₃, the reaction might not go to
completion fast enough.
• A back titration allows you to add excess acid first, so the reaction goes to
completion more reliably.
3. It gives more accurate results
• By adding excess HCl to the eggshell powder, all the CaCO₃ reacts.
• The remaining unreacted acid is then titrated with standardized NaOH.
• This indirect method helps calculate the amount of acid that actually reacted with
CaCO₃, and therefore, the amount of CaCO₃ present.
Summary (Script-Ready Explanation):
“We used back titration instead of direct titration because calcium carbonate is not very
soluble in water, and the reaction with acid is slow when done directly.
By using excess hydrochloric acid, we ensured complete reaction with the eggshell’s
calcium carbonate. We then titrated the remaining unreacted acid with sodium hydroxide.
This allowed us to calculate the amount of acid that reacted — and from that, determine
the exact amount of calcium carbonate in the sample. Back titration is more efficient and
accurate for this type of solid, slightly reactive substance.”
How to Eliminate or Minimize Interferences:
1. Proper Cleaning of Eggshells
Why: Organic materials (like membrane, yolk residue, or dirt) can react with acid or cause
physical blockage.
How: Wash eggshells thoroughly and remove the inner membrane before drying.
2. Drying the Eggshells Properly
Why: Moisture or oils can dilute the acid or affect weighing.
How: Dry the shells in an oven at ~100°C for a consistent time before grinding.
3. Grinding into Fine Powder
Why: Incomplete reaction due to large particle size means some CaCO₃ might not react.
How: Use a clean mortar and pestle to grind into a uniform, fine powder.
4. Using Excess HCl Carefully
Why: Ensures complete reaction with all CaCO₃ — but must measure accurately to avoid
titration errors.
How: Use standardized, measured HCl in excess, then titrate the leftover.
5. Using High-Purity Reagents
Why: Impurities in HCl, NaOH, or indicator can introduce unexpected reactions.
How: Use analytical grade (AR) chemicals and distilled water.
6. Calibrating Instruments
Why: A miscalibrated burette or pipette leads to volume errors.
How: Ensure burettes, pipettes, and balances are properly calibrated.
7. Controlled Environment
Why: Airborne CO₂ can dissolve in NaOH during titration and react with it, causing
overestimation.
How: Perform titrations quickly and cover solutions when possible.
8. Blank Titration (Optional but Good Practice)
Why: Helps detect if reagents react with anything other than your sample.
How: Run a titration with all reagents but without the eggshell powder. Subtract this from
your actual result if necessary.
Script-Ready Answer (for Presentation or Q&A):
“To eliminate interferences, we made sure to wash and dry the eggshells properly,
removing all organic matter. The shells were then ground into a fine powder to ensure full
reaction with the acid.
We also used high-purity reagents, calibrated our equipment, and worked in a controlled
environment to avoid contamination — especially from carbon dioxide in the air. These
steps helped us ensure that only the calcium carbonate reacted with the acid, giving us
accurate results.”