Practical Polarimetry
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ScribdTranslationsPRACTICE 3: POLARIMETRY
Analytical Chemistry
QI02SM-18
MTRA: ZULMA FLOR ESTRELLA CHAVERO
MEMBERS:
UGALDE FRANCO DIANA BELEN
ALVAREZ HERNANDEZ ALFREDO
BAUTISTA DANIEL FLORES
ROMERO OCHOA CATALINA
OBJECTIVE:
Apply polarimetry to determine the content of sucrose and glucose in a
sugar solution and thus determine its purity. Calculate the concentration of
sucrose and glucose from the angle of rotation obtained with the polarimeter.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:
Polarimetry is a non-destructive, fast, and reproducible technique that consists of measuring the
optical rotation produced on a polarized light beam as it passes through a substance
optically active. The optical rotation is determined by the molecular structure and the
concentration of chiral molecules. A compound is considered optically active if the
linearly polarized light undergoes a rotation when passing through a sample of such.
composed. Each optically active substance has its own specific rotation.
Polarimetry is a technique that is based on the measurement of the optical rotation produced
about a beam of polarized light passing through an optically active substance. The activity
The optical rotation of a substance originates from the structural asymmetry of its atoms.
carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur in the molecule, which is known as chirality.
Chirality is generally described as a mirror image of a molecule, which
it cannot overlap with itself. By polarizing light and allowing it to vibrate only in a
plan, if we pass light through a solution of a chiral substance, it will rotate the
plan of polarized light. Based on this property of sugars, polarimetry is
it can be used in the agri-food industry for the quantification of sucrose in the
sugar industry, lactose in the dairy industry and starch after its partial hydrolysis to
glucose in the cereal industry. The use of polarimeters is also a widespread method
for the verification of purity in sugary solutions, just as
we will describe in this learning object. To understand a little more about how this works
Technique, we are going to define some related concepts.
Polarized light: Natural light is formed, according to wave theory, by waves
transverse electromagnetic waves whose electric field factor in all directions is
perpendicular to the direction of propagation. However, when a beam of light passes through
A polarizer eliminates all those components whose vibrations do not occur.
on a certain surface or polarization plane (Figure 2). When this happens, it
It says that the light is polarized. If also only a wavelength is polarized.
determined, monochromatic linearly polarized light is obtained, which is used for
carry out the polarimetric measurements.
Optical activity Optical activity is the property of a substance to rotate the
polarized light plan. The compounds that exhibit this behavior are called
optically active. Sucrose rotates the plane of polarization in the direction of the
clock hands, which is why it is referred to as dextrorotatory or right-handed sugar (+), the
glucose or dextrose also bends the light plane to the right. Fructose or levulose
it rotates the polarization plane to the left, which is why it is said to be a sugar
left-handed or levorotatory (-). The optical activity of sugars is a consequence
direct from the tetrahedral stereochemistry of carbon with sp3 hybridization with four groups
different substituents, these atoms, as mentioned before, are usually referred to
chirality centers. These molecules do not have a plane of symmetry that crosses them, such that
so that their halves are the mirror image of each other.
Specific rotary capacity: The ability to rotate the plane of polarization is a
intrinsic property of an optically active molecule, it is constant for some
specific conditions and is therefore used in its characterization. Furthermore, if we apply
the law of Biot, the relationship that expresses this capacity is called specific rotation or
specific rotational capacity.
Operation
The white light coming from the lamp must first be filtered since each wavelength of
The light wave has a different rotation. The internationally chosen color is yellow.
which corresponds to the emission light of sodium. To emulate the color, a cell is used.
12 mm thick prism containing a 10% potassium dichromate solution
P/V.
The specific rotation depends on the substance to be analyzed and corresponds to the rotation.
provoked by a solution of one milligram of sample per milliliter of solution when
It crosses a cell of one decimeter (10 cm). The length L is measured from the bottom of the tube.
(excluding the wall thickness) up to the free surface of the beta solution is the angle
Measured. It is evident that knowing 3 of the parameters, the fourth can be calculated.
If the substance is unknown, a solution of known concentration is taken and the measurement is taken.
specific angle and it is compared with known substances.
The problem arises when there are mixtures of optically active substances where each one
it brings a different rotation. It is suggested as an experience to measure the concentration of a
sucrose solution (common sugar) and compare it with the real one (weight/volume).
As a technical fact, it is known that sucrose rotates in light in a clockwise direction by an angle of 66.5 degrees.
degrees. It will be noted that the rotation tends to be counterclockwise. This is due to the
sucrose breaks down, in reaction with water (hydrolysis) into glucose (clockwise rotation of 52.5)
degrees) and fructose (counterclockwise rotation of 93 degrees). As each molecule of sucrose
reacts with one of water to give one of glucose or another of fructose, the rotation will be
dominated more and more by this last one which is levorotatory.
Components.
The first polarimeters were designed in the 1940s, thanks to the
use of the prisms devised in 1828 by William Nicol made with two plates of spar
from Iceland. This instrument is used to measure the rotation of polarized light caused
for the optical isomers.
The basic components of the polarimeter are:
A source of monochromatic radiation
A prism acting as a polarizer of the radiation used
A tube for the sample
4. A dispersing prism
5. A detector (which can be the eye
6. o a photoelectric detector
Applications
They are widely used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for control.
quality. There are more than 60 varieties of listed chemical substances, of which
measure with a polarimeter. These include: ascorbic acid, testosterone, and cocaine.
Polarimeters are applied to measures for food additives, essences, and perfumes.
in sugar analysis, being the standard way of measurement using the unit
International Sugar Scale Standard.
They are employees for educational purposes for understanding the capacity for activity.
optics of substances, polarized light and much more.
MATERIALS
1 beaker 150ml
5 conical flasks 50ml
1 Pasteur pipette
1Test tube
Glass stirrer
Perilla
1 graduated volumetric pipette 10ml
Polarimeter
REAGENTS:
COCONUT SERUM
ANISE
LEVITE WATER
VITALOE
METHODOLOGY
Turn on the polarimeter 15 to 20 minutes beforehand.
Place 20 ml of the sample in a 50 ml beaker.
The sample tube will be filled with the sample to be analyzed that is in the glass.
from a 50 ml precipitate and observe that it does not have bubbles.
Place the sample tube in its place
Determine in the viewer the semi-shadow area to be worked on.
Record the angle of rotation. Generate a graph with the data and determine the purity.
from sucrose.
Once the data is obtained, the sample will be discarded and the tube will be rinsed.
show with a pipette leaving no residues.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Matissek, R., Schnepel, F., Steiner, G. (1998). Food Analysis, Acribia, S.A. Skoog, D.
