Mohammed Salam Unit 4: LA C
Making a headache tablet (aspirin)
Conclusions from the practical:
Aspirin was formed after the crystallization of salicylic acid which took overnight to form the aspirin.
After it was formed, it was transferred to the weighing boat which was measured to 24.354 grams
but before placing the aspirin onto the weighing boat, the weighing boat was measured first which
was 23.779 grams. To calculate the mass of aspirin firstly, the mass from the aspirin with the
weighing boat was taken away from the mass of the weighing boat, which was then calculated as
0.575 grams, so 0.575 grams of aspirin was formed in the practical.
The aspirin was not pure as when the percentage yield was calculated it was 22.03% which suggests
that 77.97% was impure.
Reason for this value to occur could be due to unreacted starting materials which therefore altered
the results.
Appearance – aspirin sample had some sharp, and white crystals which had needle – like
appearance as this could suggest that the sample may be pure.
Melting point – the melting point of the sample was 125 degrees which could suggest that there
may be impurities in the sample.
The melting point for the aspirin sample was 125 degrees which was slightly above the literature
value where the literature value for melting point was 120 degrees. This could be because some of
the starting materials from the first process of making the aspirin may have not reacted as this could
alter the temperature of the melting point for the aspirin sample. Another reason it could be due to
the contamination of the equipment like the glassware where any impurities could be present in the
glassware.
Conclusions with the scientific techniques used in the practical:
Cold distilled water was used to cool the sample and it began to crystallize the sample.
Recrystalising the crude product from the minimum amount of boiling water.
Vacuum filtration was the final technique used in the practical as this is to remove the excess of any
remaining fluid from the aspirin sample.
Tested the purity of aspirin by determining the melting point, so heating device was used by setting
the temperature to 125 degrees, watched the aspirin melting and recorded the full range at which it
melts. The known sample was also repeated with sample to compare the difference.
Industrial production of aspirin:
Starting materials used in the industry when making aspirin:
Starting materials: Ethanoic acid, toluene and 2 – hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid).
1
, Mohammed Salam Unit 4: LA C
The production of aspirin in the industry are made in a large batch process as it can give more of
production of aspirin.
To produce aspirin, ethanoic acid, salicylic acid, and toluene are used in a reactor. As the optimum
temperature for this reaction is between from 77 to 92 degrees for 20 hours in the reactor, the
constant heat source during the reaction ensures complete completion, thereby allowing aspirin to
be produced. After the reaction is over, the solution is then sent to the cooling tank where it is
allowed to cool, allowing crystals to form. After it is cooled, it is then sent to the filter tank where it
filters the product, the filtered crystals are then sent to the washer where they are washed with
distilled water and dried. The aspirin goes to the next stage where they are tested for purity because
it is important to have pure aspirin as impurities can give side effects to the patients and can also
harm them once it is consumed. In the industrial production of making aspirin, corn starch and water
are merged, and bulk are added to the tablet. Vegetable oil is useful in the aspirin production as they
are added in the mixture so that it does not get stuck inside of the machinery. The next process is
when the aspirin are made into tablets by using single punch machine if they are needed for small
batches or sent to the rotary tablet machine for larger batch production, the aspirin goes to the next
stage where they are tested again for hardness once they have shown that they have passed the
hardness test they are then finally packaged and are ready to be distributed to the public.
Industrial testing:
Hardness tests – As soon as the tablets are made, they are subjected to various quality tests,
including hardness and friability tests, which ensure that they will not chip or break under normal
conditions. Friability tests check the tablets' ability to withstand stress factors during packaging and
shipping. As part of the test, tablets are tumbled and subjected to repeated shocks using a machine
called the Roche Friabilator.
Quality control – the aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, so the titration allows to determine the quantity
of aspirin in a solution by using an acid base titration. The titration includes the use of sodium
hydroxide as a base against the acid which is the aspirin. The spectrophotometry or high –
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyse the active drug. Disintegration time
test was used to break down the aspirin into a fine powder or into granules. During the procedure,
the tablet is placed to each six tubes of the basket with the use of mechanical device so the basket is
raised then lowered in a bath fluid like water which are repeatedly done approximately 32 cycles per
minute.
Titration:
Titration is a technique for determining the concentration of an unknown solution by gradually
adding a known concentration solution. Bit by bit, a known concentration of the reactant is added
until neutralisation is achieved. As mentioned before, the titration can be used in the industry as it
can identify the concentration of aspirin in a solution by using an acid base titration, because the
aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid as it can be suitable for using the acid base titration where the sodium
hydroxide is the alkali base, and the acetylsalicylic acid can be used as acid base. The titration is used
2
Making a headache tablet (aspirin)
Conclusions from the practical:
Aspirin was formed after the crystallization of salicylic acid which took overnight to form the aspirin.
After it was formed, it was transferred to the weighing boat which was measured to 24.354 grams
but before placing the aspirin onto the weighing boat, the weighing boat was measured first which
was 23.779 grams. To calculate the mass of aspirin firstly, the mass from the aspirin with the
weighing boat was taken away from the mass of the weighing boat, which was then calculated as
0.575 grams, so 0.575 grams of aspirin was formed in the practical.
The aspirin was not pure as when the percentage yield was calculated it was 22.03% which suggests
that 77.97% was impure.
Reason for this value to occur could be due to unreacted starting materials which therefore altered
the results.
Appearance – aspirin sample had some sharp, and white crystals which had needle – like
appearance as this could suggest that the sample may be pure.
Melting point – the melting point of the sample was 125 degrees which could suggest that there
may be impurities in the sample.
The melting point for the aspirin sample was 125 degrees which was slightly above the literature
value where the literature value for melting point was 120 degrees. This could be because some of
the starting materials from the first process of making the aspirin may have not reacted as this could
alter the temperature of the melting point for the aspirin sample. Another reason it could be due to
the contamination of the equipment like the glassware where any impurities could be present in the
glassware.
Conclusions with the scientific techniques used in the practical:
Cold distilled water was used to cool the sample and it began to crystallize the sample.
Recrystalising the crude product from the minimum amount of boiling water.
Vacuum filtration was the final technique used in the practical as this is to remove the excess of any
remaining fluid from the aspirin sample.
Tested the purity of aspirin by determining the melting point, so heating device was used by setting
the temperature to 125 degrees, watched the aspirin melting and recorded the full range at which it
melts. The known sample was also repeated with sample to compare the difference.
Industrial production of aspirin:
Starting materials used in the industry when making aspirin:
Starting materials: Ethanoic acid, toluene and 2 – hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid).
1
, Mohammed Salam Unit 4: LA C
The production of aspirin in the industry are made in a large batch process as it can give more of
production of aspirin.
To produce aspirin, ethanoic acid, salicylic acid, and toluene are used in a reactor. As the optimum
temperature for this reaction is between from 77 to 92 degrees for 20 hours in the reactor, the
constant heat source during the reaction ensures complete completion, thereby allowing aspirin to
be produced. After the reaction is over, the solution is then sent to the cooling tank where it is
allowed to cool, allowing crystals to form. After it is cooled, it is then sent to the filter tank where it
filters the product, the filtered crystals are then sent to the washer where they are washed with
distilled water and dried. The aspirin goes to the next stage where they are tested for purity because
it is important to have pure aspirin as impurities can give side effects to the patients and can also
harm them once it is consumed. In the industrial production of making aspirin, corn starch and water
are merged, and bulk are added to the tablet. Vegetable oil is useful in the aspirin production as they
are added in the mixture so that it does not get stuck inside of the machinery. The next process is
when the aspirin are made into tablets by using single punch machine if they are needed for small
batches or sent to the rotary tablet machine for larger batch production, the aspirin goes to the next
stage where they are tested again for hardness once they have shown that they have passed the
hardness test they are then finally packaged and are ready to be distributed to the public.
Industrial testing:
Hardness tests – As soon as the tablets are made, they are subjected to various quality tests,
including hardness and friability tests, which ensure that they will not chip or break under normal
conditions. Friability tests check the tablets' ability to withstand stress factors during packaging and
shipping. As part of the test, tablets are tumbled and subjected to repeated shocks using a machine
called the Roche Friabilator.
Quality control – the aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, so the titration allows to determine the quantity
of aspirin in a solution by using an acid base titration. The titration includes the use of sodium
hydroxide as a base against the acid which is the aspirin. The spectrophotometry or high –
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyse the active drug. Disintegration time
test was used to break down the aspirin into a fine powder or into granules. During the procedure,
the tablet is placed to each six tubes of the basket with the use of mechanical device so the basket is
raised then lowered in a bath fluid like water which are repeatedly done approximately 32 cycles per
minute.
Titration:
Titration is a technique for determining the concentration of an unknown solution by gradually
adding a known concentration solution. Bit by bit, a known concentration of the reactant is added
until neutralisation is achieved. As mentioned before, the titration can be used in the industry as it
can identify the concentration of aspirin in a solution by using an acid base titration, because the
aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid as it can be suitable for using the acid base titration where the sodium
hydroxide is the alkali base, and the acetylsalicylic acid can be used as acid base. The titration is used
2
