**TITLE:**
STUDY OF ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C) CONTENT IN CITRUS FRUITS
**SUBJECT:** Chemistry
**CLASS:** XII
**ACADEMIC YEAR:** 2024–25
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my Chemistry teacher for guiding
me throughout this project. I also thank my school, my parents, and my friends
for their support and encouragement during the completion of this investigatory
project on “Study of Ascorbic Acid Content in Citrus Fruits.”
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that _____________________ of Class XII has successfully
completed the Chemistry project titled “Study of Ascorbic Acid Content in Citrus
Fruits” under my supervision for the academic year 2024–25.
Teacher’s Signature: __________________
Date: __________________
INDEX
1. Introduction
2. What is Ascorbic Acid
3. Importance of Ascorbic Acid
4. Citrus Fruits as a Source of Vitamin C
5. Principle of Estimation
6. Materials Required
7. Procedure
8. Observations
9. Calculations
10. Results
11. Factors Affecting Vitamin C Content
12. Precautions
13. Conclusion
14. Bibliography
15. INTRODUCTION
Ascorbic acid, commonly known as Vitamin C, is an essential organic compound
found in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and sweet lime. It plays an
important role in nutrition and helps protect the body from oxidative stress.
This project aims to study the content of ascorbic acid present in citrus fruits
using simple laboratory titration methods.
16. WHAT IS ASCORBIC ACID
Ascorbic acid (chemical formula C6H8O6) is a weak, water-soluble organic
acid.
Characteristics:
• White crystalline solid
• Sour taste
• Strong reducing agent
• Easily oxidized when exposed to air, heat or light
17. IMPORTANCE OF ASCORBIC ACID
• Strengthens immunity
• Helps in collagen formation
• Increases iron absorption
• Acts as a strong antioxidant
• Helps in wound healing
• Prevents scurvy
18. CITRUS FRUITS AS A SOURCE OF VITAMIN C
Citrus fruits naturally contain high amounts of ascorbic acid. Common citrus
fruits include oranges, lemons, sweet lime (mosambi) and grapefruit.
Approximate Vitamin C content:
• Orange: 40–60 mg per 100 mL juice
• Lemon: 40–50 mg per 100 mL juice
• Sweet Lime: 30–40 mg per 100 mL juice
(Values vary with freshness, storage and fruit variety.)
19. PRINCIPLE OF ESTIMATION
Two common titration methods are used to estimate Vitamin C content.
A) DCPIP Method
DCPIP (Dichlorophenol-indophenol) is a blue dye which gets reduced to colourless
when it reacts with ascorbic acid.
Endpoint: Light pink colour that remains stable for 10 seconds.
B) Iodine Method
Iodine reacts with ascorbic acid and gets reduced.
Endpoint: A blue-black colour persists when starch indicator is added.
6. MATERIALS REQUIRED
• Citrus fruit juices (orange, lemon, sweet lime)
• DCPIP solution or iodine solution
• Standard ascorbic acid solution
• Starch indicator (for iodine method)
• Distilled water
• Burette, pipette, conical flask, beakers, funnel
• Filter paper
7. PROCEDURE
Preparation of Fruit Juice
1. Extract fresh juice from each fruit.
2. Filter the juice to remove pulp.
3. Dilute 10 mL of juice to 100 mL with distilled water.
Standardization of DCPIP
1. Pipette 10 mL of standard ascorbic acid solution into a conical flask.
2. Titrate with DCPIP until a permanent light pink colour appears.
3. Note the volume used.
Estimation of Vitamin C in Fruit Juice
1. Pipette 10 mL diluted fruit juice into a conical flask.
2. Titrate with DCPIP or iodine solution.
3. Record burette readings.
4. Repeat three times for accuracy.
5. OBSERVATIONS
A) Standardization Table
Trial | Volume of Std. Ascorbic Acid (mL) | Volume of DCPIP Used (mL)
1 | 10 |
2 | 10 |
3 | 10 |
B) Fruit Juice Titration
Fruit | Volume of Juice (mL) | DCPIP Used (mL)
Orange | 10 |
Lemon | 10 |
Sweet Lime | 10 |
9. CALCULATIONS
Let:
Vs = average volume of DCPIP used for standard
Vi = average volume of DCPIP used for fruit sample
Cs = concentration of standard ascorbic acid (mg/mL)
Formula:
Vitamin C in sample (mg) = Cs × (Vi / Vs)
Convert this to mg per 100 mL based on dilution.
10. RESULTS
Approximate Vitamin C content obtained from titration:
Orange: __________ mg per 100 mL
Lemon: __________ mg per 100 mL
Sweet Lime: __________ mg per 100 mL
11. FACTORS AFFECTING VITAMIN C CONTENT
• Exposure to air
• High temperature
• Long storage time
• Over-ripening
• Quality and variety of fruit
12. PRECAUTIONS
• Use fresh fruit juice.
• Protect the solutions from heat and light.
• Clean all apparatus thoroughly.
• Add titrant dropwise near endpoint.
• Perform titration at room temperature.
13. CONCLUSION
Citrus fruits are rich sources of ascorbic acid. The experiment shows that
different citrus fruits contain different amounts of Vitamin C. Lemon and orange
generally show higher ascorbic acid levels compared to sweet lime. The titration
method used gives a simple and effective way to estimate Vitamin C content.
14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• NCERT Chemistry Class XII
• Chemistry Laboratory Manual
• Vogel’s Textbook of Quantitative Analysis
• Online reference materials