Extraction of Caffiene

Christopher Nourrie

Sec 005

Extraction of Caffiene

Abstract:

A solid to liquid extraction technique was used to extract caffeine from two Lipton tea-bags. The caffeine obtained was almost a pure substance, despite the interference of chlorophylls from the tea.

Introduction:

Caffeine has been cultivated for hundreds of years around the world. Caffeine is a white crystalline xanthine alkaloid derived from beans, leaves and fruits of various plants. Caffeine acts as a natural pesticide for plants, the plants baring the leaves, beans or fruits use caffeine to ward off insects. Incidentally, caffeine has a direct effect on the human nervous system when digested (Frischknecht, P. M., 1986)

Initially caffeine was used for medical purposes such as improving mood, decreasing fatigue and elevating general awareness. Today caffeine is a significant economic source of income for many countries and industries. Plants that bear caffeine such as the coffee bean, tea leaves, and kola bean are highly prioritize crops for many countries. The demand for caffeine in our current global society is very high. Caffeine is a primary ingredient in many energy drinks, which is an industry that is growing rapidly. The demand for coffee and tea is almost a requirement from majority of the general public on a regular basis. Caffeine has become a resource that is in such great demand and popularity that it is almost a necessity in the structure of our global society (Mohrig et al., 2010).

Methods:

I first added 15ml of water to a 50ml beaker. I obtained two Lipton 100% natural tea bags, weighed the combined tea bags. I added one tea bag to the beaker of water, placed it over a hot plate and let boil for about ten minutes. I let the beaker cool to room temperature, squeezed out excess liquid from the tea bag, added about 10ml of water to the beaker and added the second tea bag. I once again placed the beaker on the hot plate and let it boil for about ten...