Session: 2022-2023

Chemistry investigatory project on

“Determination Of Caffeine In Tea”
Submitted to:- Submitted by:-Aparna
Ma’am Rakhi Singh Bais
Patel Class 12th Bio-Science
S.No
Index Topics Page.No
1. Certificate. 1
2. Acknowledgement. 2
3. Introduction. 3-6
4. Theory. 7
5. Uses of caffeine. 8
6. Harmful effects of caffeine. 10-13
7. Possible health benefits of caffeine. 14-15
8. Other effects of caffeine. 16
9. Aim of experiment. 17
10. Apparatus and chemicals required. 18
11. Procedure. 19-20
12. Precautions. 21
13. Chemistry involved. 22
14. Observations. 23
15. Result. 24
16. Graphical representation. 25
17. Bibliography. 26
 Certificate
This is to certify that Aparna Singh
Bais of class – XIIth Bio-Science has
successfully complete the project on
the topic To Determine Amount Of
Caffeine In Tea under the guidance of
Ma’am Rakhi Patel (Chemistry
Teacher) during the year 2021-22 in
the partial fulfilment of the physics
practical examination conducted by
the CBSE.

SIGN. OF EXTERNAL SIGN. OF TEACHER

EXAMINER
 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my immense
gratitude to my chemistry teacher
Ma’am Rakhi Patel for the help and
guidance she provided for completing
this project.
I would also like to thank my parents
who gave their ideas and inputs in
making this project. Most of all I
thank our school management, for
providing us the facilities and
opportunity to do this project.
Lastly, I would like to thanks my
classmates who have done this
project along with me. Their support
made this project fruitful.

-Aparna Singh Bais

 Introduction
Tea is highly popular drink all over the world, a
cup of tea is often taken as a mind-freshener.
This can be primarily attributed to the
presence of a stimulant called ‘caffeine’ in it.
Besides this tea also contains various
polyphenol compounds that acts as flavoring
agents. Relative contents of these compounds
result in different varieties available under
different brand names. The quality of tea
leaves also greatly influence the taste of tea. It
acts as a stimulant for central nervous system
and skeletal muscles. That is why tea removes
fatigue, tiredness and headache. It also
increases the capacity of thinking. It is also
used for lowering body temperature.
 Introduction
The principal constituent of tea, which is
responsible for all these properties, is the
alkaloid-caffeine. The amount of caffeine
in tea leaves varies from sample to
sample.

Originally it was thought that caffeine is

responsible for the taste and flavor of
tea. But pure caffeine has been found to
be a tasteless white substance.
Therefore, the taste and flavor of tea is
due to some other substance present in
it.
 Introduction
There is a little doubt that the popularity
of the xanthene 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 still sleep like a log, 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.
 Introduction
The xanthene beverages also create a
medical problem. They are dietary of a
stimulant of the central nervous system.
Often the physicians face the question of
whether to deny caffeine-containing
beverages to patients or not. In fact
children are more susceptible than adults
to excitation by xanthene. For this
reason, tea and coffee should be
excluded from their diet.
 Theory
The most important methylated alkaloid that
occurs naturally is caffeine. Its molecular
formula is C8H10N4O2. Its IUPAC name is 1,3,7-
trimethylpurine-2,6-dione and common name
is 1-methyltheobromine. Purely it is white,
crystalline solid in the form of needles. Its
melting point is around 237°C. It is the main
active principle compound 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 compound in the
form of lead complex. The clear filtrate is then
extracted with extracts caffeine because it is
more soluble in it then water.
 Use 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..
 Harmful effect
Central nervous system
Caffeine has a number of metabolic
effects as a central nervous system
stimulant. Common side effect of
caffeine use include excessive
nervousness, irritability, insomnia,
restless legs, dizziness, subsequent
fatigue and headache psychological
symptoms of general anxiety or panic
attacks may also occur.
 Harmful effect
Excretory and digestive
system
Caffeine raises the amount of acid in
your stomach and may cause heartburn
or upset stomach. it‘s also a diuretic,
triggering your body to get rid of water.
that‘s why it‘s not a great thirst
quencher. Extra caffeine doesn‘t get
stored in your body. It is processed in
the liver and exits in your urine. If you
have stomach problems, like acid reflux
or ulcers, ask your doctor if it‘s ok to
have caffeine. Large doses of caffeine
cause you to loose too much water.
 Harmful effect
Skeletal and muscular
system
Caffeine in large amounts may interfere
with absorption and metabolism of
calcium. This can contribute to bone
thinning osteoporosis, a medical
condition in which the bones become
brittle and fragile from loss of tissue,
typically as a result of hormonal
changes, or deficiency of calcium or
vitamin D Symptoms of caffeine
withdrawal include achy muscles. An
overdose can cause muscle twitches.
 Harmful effect
Reproductive system

Caffeine travels within the bloodstream

and crosses into the placenta. Since it is
a stimulant, it can cause the baby‘s heart
rate and metabolism to increase. Too
much caffeine can also cause slowed
fetal growth and increase risk of
miscarriage. In most cases, a little
caffeine is safe during pregnancy.
 Possible health benefits
1. In Japan researchers have Shown that
caffeine increases memory . Also, a
newer out of Johns Hopkins University
showed that a 200mg caffeine pill
helped boost memory consolidation.
2. Caffeine helps keep you alert while
driving during periods of sleep
restriction.
3. Caffeine relieves post work-out
muscle pain by up to 48%.
4. Caffeine may prevent skin cancer. A
new study out of Rutgers University
found that caffeine prevented skin
cancer in hairless mice.
 Possible health benefits
5. Caffeine may reduce fatty liver in
those with non-alcohol related fatty liver
disease. This study comes out of Duke
University.
6. People who consume caffeine have a
lower risk of suicide.
 Other effects of caffeine
1. It is psycho - stimulant.
2. It improves physical and mental ability.
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 .
 AIM OF EXPERIMENT:-
Determination Of Caffeine In
Tea
Know how much caffeine
you are taking in with each
cup!!
 Apparatus and
chemicals required
Round bottom flask, Bunsen burner,
matchstick, beaker(250mL and 75 mL),
basic lead nitrate, lead oxide, chloroform,
distilled water, red label tea (Brooke
bond), yellow label tea (Lipton), green
label tea (Lipton).
 Procedure
1. First of all, 50 grams of tea leaves
were taken as sample and 150 ml of
water was added to it in a beaker.
2. Then the beaker was heated up to
extreme boiling.
3. The solution was filtered and lead
acetate was added to the filtrate, leading
to the formation of a curdy brown
colored precipitate.
4. We kept on adding lead acetate till no
more precipitate has been formed.
5. Again solution was filtered.
6. Now the filtrate so obtained was
heated until it had become 50 ml.
7. Then the solution left was allowed to
cool.
 Procedure
8. After that, 20 ml. of chloroform was
added to it.
9. Soon after, two layers appeared in the
separating funnel.
10. We separate the two layers.
11. The solution then exposed to
atmosphere in order to allow chloroform
to get evaporated.
12. The residue left behind was caffeine.
13. 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.
 Precautions
1. Add equal amount of water and
chemicals to the samples.
2. Boil the tea for equal time for all
samples.
3. Caffeine is insoluble in cold water a so
aqueous extract is kept at boiling
temperatures.
4. Chloroform is toxic so should be
handled carefully.
 Chemistry involved
1. Lead oxide when added to lead
acetate solution helps lead to precipitate
and come out in the form of insoluble
lead sulphate as it is basic in nature.
2. The activated charcoal absorbs the
colored pigment from the brown colored
solution.
3. Chloroform is used for extracting the
caffeine as it is more soluble in CHCl3 than
in cold water.
4. On boiling caffeine being more volatile
evaporates leaving a white mass behind.
5. On adding more chloroform and by
gradual evaporation we get nice
crystalline caffeine.
 Observation
• Red Label Tea (Brooke Bond)
NAME AMOUNT
Weight of china dish 46.60 grams
Weight of china dish 47.20 grams
with precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.60 grams

• Yellow Label Tea (Lipton)

NAME AMOUNT
Weight of china dish 46.60 grams
Weight of china dish 47.15 grams
with precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.55 grams

• Green Label Tea (Lipton)

NAME AMOUNT
Weight of china dish 46.60 grams
Weight of china dish 47.05 grams
with precipitate
Amount of caffeine 0.45 grams
 Result
Quantity of Caffeine:-
Red label tea is
60mg./sample of 50gm.

Yellow label tea is

55mg./sample of 50gm.

Green label tea is

45mg./sample of 50 gm.

• The amount of caffeine is more in Red

label tea compared to others.

Red Label > Yellow Label > Green Label

 Graphical
Representation
Amount of caffeine (mg)

Tea Samples
 Bibliography
Book:-
NCERT chemistry class 12th
Modern ABC of chemistry

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