Estimation of glucose concentration

Estimation of glucose concentration

Relation to topics / curriculum link: Prior knowledge and skills needed:
 Biomolecules  plotting of graph
 Food requirements  redox reaction
 Benedict’s test

Concept:

Glucose is a reducing sugar. It has reducing power and can react with oxidising agents.

Introduction

Benedict’s reagent is often used to test for the presence of reducing sugar (e.g. glucose) in
solution by the formation of a brick-red precipitate. However, it is not very accurate
when using Benedict’s test to conduct quantitative analysis of glucose.

Alternatively, potassium permanganate solution can be used to estimate the glucose

content in a solution. Glucose reacts with the purple permanganate ions (MnO4-), and
reduces to it into colourless manganese ions (Mn2+). The ionic equation for the reaction is
shown below:

MnO4- + 8H + + 5e-  Mn2+ + 4H2O

purple colourless

The time taken for a standardised potassium permanganate solution to decolourise is

related to the concentration of glucose in the solution. By measuring the time for the
decolourisation of a standardised potassium permanganate solution, using a range of
glucose solutions of known concentration, a standard curve can be prepared. Afterwards,
the glucose concentration of an unknown solution can be estimated by looking up the
standard curve.
Materials

 Potassium permanganate solution (0.4 g in 1 litre distilled / deionised water)

 Sulphuric acid (1M)
 Glucose solution (10%)
 3 bottles of glucose solutions of unknown concentration (A, B, C)
 Stopwatch
 Glass rod
 Boiling tubes and test tube rack
 3 beakers
 3 pipettes and pipette fillers
 Some labels

Activity: Estimation of glucose concentration of unknown solutions

1. Use 10% glucose solution to prepare a series of dilutions of glucose solutions.

2. Transfer 10 cm3 of one of the glucose solutions prepared into a boiling tube.
3. Add 5 cm3 of sulphuric acid.
4. Add 2 cm3 of potassium permanganate solution and start the stopwatch.
5. Stir with a glass rod and record the time as soon as the purple colour disappears.

6. Repeat (2) to (5) with other glucose solutions of known concentration until all are
finished.
7. Record your results, and share among the class.
8. Calculate the class average results and record in a table.
9. Plot the class average results on a graph paper to make a standard curve.
10. Repeat (2) to (5) for glucose solutions (A, B and C) of unknown concentration.
11. Use the standard curve to estimate the glucose concentration of solutions A, B and C.

2
Questions for discussion

1. What is the purpose of pooling the class results for plotting the standard curve?
2. Suggest how you could improve the experiment.
3. Suggest any possible reasons if your result is different from other groups.

Further investigation

Investigating the glucose content of a variety of “health” drinks

Design an investigation to find out the glucose content of a variety of “health” drinks, and
compare your results with the glucose content marked in the food labels. The results will be
affected by the presence of vitamin C in some drinks, as it may cause the decolourisation of
potassium permanganate solution to take place more quickly. Discuss the experimental
design with your classmate before carrying out the investigation. Write a report of your
investigation.

Reference:

National Centre for Biotechnology Education, (2006) Glucose Detector. Practical

Biotechnology: A Guide for Schools and Colleges.

Science and Plants for Schools (2007) Estimating glucose concentration in solution. SAPS.