Paracetamol Case Study

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P2-Task 2, M1-Task 3, M2-Task 4
The Extraction of Paracetamol (the active ingredient in the medication)
• To test the purity
• To calculate yield
This method can be used to analyse different paracetamol brands and calculate which one contains the greatest quantity of the active ingredient.

There are two stages to the experiment; extraction and melting point determination.
Equipment for the extraction stage:
 2 paracetamol tablets
 20cm³ propanone
 25cm³ measuring cylinder
 2X 100cm³ conical flask
 Warm water bath
 Filter funnel
 Filter paper
 Glass funnel
 Evaporating basin
 Accurate scales
 Goggles, lab coat, gloves
Method for the extraction stage:
1. Using accurate scales, record the mass of two paracetamol tablets.
This step must …show more content…

2. Next break both the paracetamol tables in half (this speeds up the process of them breaking down) and add to a conical flask with the propanone and leave in a warm water bath (set to 40 degrees Celsius) until the tablets have broken down.
Breaking up the paracetamol tablets before putting them in the flask speeds up the process of them breaking down. The paracetamol tablets and propanone are heated in the hot water bath to allow the reaction to occur.
When we carried out this step we found that the tablets took much longer to break down than we expected, I would have to bear this in mind if the experiment had to be carried out again e.g. for repeats. The water bath should be set to 40 degrees Celsius – too high could damage the flask and alter the composition of the paracetamol and too low would result in the paracetamol taking a very long to break up, if at all.
3. Swirl the flask occasionally to aid the breaking up of the tablets and speed up the

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