Making a Headache Tablet Report – Organic Solid
Introduction
As a lab technician working in the research and development department of a pharmaceutical
company, I will be investigating the process of which how aspirin is made, and how its purity is
tested, both on an industrial large scale as well as a smaller scale; school lab. From these
investigations I will be able to analyse and see the different techniques, and how the efficiency can
be increased, reaching a higher standard.
Aspirin is a popular medication for treating minor aches, pains, and fevers. People use it as an anti-
inflammatory and blood thinner (Medical News Today, 2023).
Aspirin is classified as an acetylsalicylic acid. It also belongs to a class of medications known as
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NHS, 2021).
Aspirin works by reducing the action of cyclooxygenase (COX), an enzyme that produces
prostaglandins (PGs), which cause inflammation, swelling, discomfort, and fever (Pub Med, 2023).
The production method consists of reacting salicylic acid with acetic anhydride in glass-lined
containers (Seita, 2024). Since aspirin is only weakly soluble in water, adding it to the reaction
mixture will cause the result to clump together rather than dissolve in the water phase. The liquid
produced is then fed to a crystallizer and cooled to begin the process of crystallising aspirin (Seita,
2024). The solid starts to "precipitate," or form, as a result. This step is crucial as it helps in
purifying the product by allowing impurities to be separated from the solid aspirin crystals
(University of Birmingham, 2024). The Aspirin after is filtered to remove acetic acid and solvent,
which are recovered and potentially recycled. Crystals are washed and filtered again (Seita, 2024).
However this can be done in three ways; gravity, hot filtration, or vacuum.
Gravity filtration is one of the simplest. This is done Through a funnel, a mixture of liquid and solid
is poured through filter paper. The solid remains on the paper as gravity pushes the liquid through
the filter.
Hot filtration is used to separate solids from a hot solution. The filtration apparatus is often heated
to prevent the crystallization of the solids in the funnel and to keep the filtration process going
smoothly. This technique is commonly used when the solids are impurities that need to be
removed from the liquid.
Vacuum filtration, also called suction filtration, draws the liquid through a filter faster by creating a
hoover. When a mixture needs to be filtered fast or when the liquid is highly thick, it is especially
helpful (Sepmag, 2022).
The last step is drying the aspirin. This can be done is different ways to remove any residual
moisture, which could affect the purity of the aspirin (Study.com, 2024).
(Science Direct, 2020).
Introduction
As a lab technician working in the research and development department of a pharmaceutical
company, I will be investigating the process of which how aspirin is made, and how its purity is
tested, both on an industrial large scale as well as a smaller scale; school lab. From these
investigations I will be able to analyse and see the different techniques, and how the efficiency can
be increased, reaching a higher standard.
Aspirin is a popular medication for treating minor aches, pains, and fevers. People use it as an anti-
inflammatory and blood thinner (Medical News Today, 2023).
Aspirin is classified as an acetylsalicylic acid. It also belongs to a class of medications known as
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NHS, 2021).
Aspirin works by reducing the action of cyclooxygenase (COX), an enzyme that produces
prostaglandins (PGs), which cause inflammation, swelling, discomfort, and fever (Pub Med, 2023).
The production method consists of reacting salicylic acid with acetic anhydride in glass-lined
containers (Seita, 2024). Since aspirin is only weakly soluble in water, adding it to the reaction
mixture will cause the result to clump together rather than dissolve in the water phase. The liquid
produced is then fed to a crystallizer and cooled to begin the process of crystallising aspirin (Seita,
2024). The solid starts to "precipitate," or form, as a result. This step is crucial as it helps in
purifying the product by allowing impurities to be separated from the solid aspirin crystals
(University of Birmingham, 2024). The Aspirin after is filtered to remove acetic acid and solvent,
which are recovered and potentially recycled. Crystals are washed and filtered again (Seita, 2024).
However this can be done in three ways; gravity, hot filtration, or vacuum.
Gravity filtration is one of the simplest. This is done Through a funnel, a mixture of liquid and solid
is poured through filter paper. The solid remains on the paper as gravity pushes the liquid through
the filter.
Hot filtration is used to separate solids from a hot solution. The filtration apparatus is often heated
to prevent the crystallization of the solids in the funnel and to keep the filtration process going
smoothly. This technique is commonly used when the solids are impurities that need to be
removed from the liquid.
Vacuum filtration, also called suction filtration, draws the liquid through a filter faster by creating a
hoover. When a mixture needs to be filtered fast or when the liquid is highly thick, it is especially
helpful (Sepmag, 2022).
The last step is drying the aspirin. This can be done is different ways to remove any residual
moisture, which could affect the purity of the aspirin (Study.com, 2024).
(Science Direct, 2020).
