Redox Chemistry Lab
By: Anshi, Amitpal, Bhavan, Michael, Raveena
Overview
Introduction
Experimentation
Background & Goals
Procedure, Materials
and Progress
Results
Reflection
Overall Conclusion
Group & Individual
Introduction
Overview
Background Info
The increasing demand for sustainable fuel sources calls towards
using biofuels. We attempted to address this demand focus of this
experiment is ethanol distillation, aiming to provide insights into
optimizing the production processes of ethanol for biofuels. The
objective is to look at efficiency and explore the feasibility of
employing microbial cultures, specifically those found in
sourdough starter, as biofuel feedstocks. Essentially, this project
positions itself as a significant scientific endeavor while
addressing the urgent problem of discovering alternative,
environmentally friendly fuel sources. The ethanol distillation
experiment's methodology, findings, and conclusions will be
covered in detail in this report.
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Our Goal
Ethanol Distillation
We started our experiment by first creating a
sourdough starter. The purpose of our project is to
create and separate Ethanol from the sourdough
starter. We chose to separate the ethanol from our
starter to use it as a flammable fuel. The two redox
reactions include; glucose breaking down and
fermenting into ethanol and through a combustion of
ethanol.
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Why it's Important &
How it effects the
world
Biofuel Practicality and Environmental
Benefit
Our project aims to further analyze the processes of
bioethanol production, through fermentation practices of
sourdough starter. We took the initiative to conjure and
test a different method of ethanol extraction. Through this
experiment, we focused on how practical biofuel
production is. We find that if we ingress the use of biofuels,
it can make a great impact on global fossil fuel emissions in
compression to generic gasoline.
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Redox Equations
Equations and Explanation
Redox Equations
C6H12O6 → 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2
Glucose is oxidised to make ethanol. During
fermentation, yeast breaks down glucose in a number
of processes. One critical step is the conversion of
pyruvate (a byproduct of glucose breakdown) to
ethanol. This reduction process entails the transfer of
electrons from NADH (reduced nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide) to pyruvate, culminating in the creation
of ethanol and the regeneration of NAD+.
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Redox Equations
C2H5OH + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O
Carbon in ethanol undergoes oxidation from an
oxidation state of -2 in ethanol to +4 in carbon
dioxide. Hydrogen in ethanol goes from +1 to
+0 in water. Lastly Oxygen goes from 0 in O2
to -2 in water.
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How to make
Sourdough
To make sourdough starter you mix equal parts flour and
water in a jar, let it sit for 5-7 days, and stir it daily.
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Experiment
Materials and Procedure
Materials
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Distillation apparatus (including a distillation flask, fractional column,
condenser, and receiving flask)
Heat source (e.g., hot plate)
Thermometer
Rubber tubing
Clamps and stands
Cooling water source
Round-bottom flasks or test tubes for collecting fractions
Distillation head and adapter
Sourdough Starter
Beakers
Measuring Tube
Procedure
1. Set Up the Apparatus:
1.
2.
Assemble the distillation apparatus with the distillation flask, fractional column, condenser, and receiving flask.
Connect the components using rubber tubing, ensuring airtight connections.
2. Prepare the Mixture:
1.
Separate the “hooch” from the starter
2.
3.
Measure the volume of the initial liquid
Place the mixture to be distilled in the distillation flask.
3. Attach the Thermometer:
1.
Insert the thermometer into the distillation flask so that it can measure the vapor temperature.
4. Secure the Column:
1.
Ensure that the column is securely attached to the distillation flask.
5. Begin Heating:
1.
Start heating the mixture in the distillation flask gradually. Use a heating mantle or other appropriate heat source.
6. Record Temperatures:
1.
Record the temperature of the vapor as it starts to distill. Note the boiling point of each fraction collected.
7. Collect Distillate:
1.
Collect the distillate and measure the volume of the final product
8. Monitor Temperature Changes:
1.
Continue heating and collecting fractions until all components have been separated or until the temperature remains constant.
9. Analyze Fractions:
1.
Analyze each fraction collected to determine its composition. You can use additional tests or instrumentation for this purpos e.
10. Clean Up:
1.
Allow the apparatus to cool down before disassembling.
2.
Clean the glassware thoroughly.
Growth of Starter
Day 1
Day 5
Day 10
Day 15
Distillation
Beaker 1
Beaker 2
Initial
30 ml
50 ml
Finial
2.5 ml
4.3 ml
Yield %
8.3%
8.6%
Variables
Independent
•
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Temperature
Dependent
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Amount of Final Liquid
Uncontrolled
Environment Sourdough Starter is
produced
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Amount of Initial Liquid
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Purity of Solution
Amount of fermentation in each
solution varies
Results
Final Product and Results
Final Results
• With are 8% ethanol yield from our sourdough starter, we
can state that several variables influence the feasibility of
biofuels/bioethanol, feedstock availability, economic
viability, & environmental issues. This thorough examination
enables a detailed grasp of the problems and possibilities
connected with biofuel deployment. As we realized that this
may not be cost & material effective is scaled up. Unless
some technological advancements are made. Bioethanol
will still represent a flexible and ecologically friendly
alternative to regular petrol. But until feedstock
methods develop, and sustainability practices evolve,
bioethanol has the potential as a significant participant in
the shift to more sustainable and renewable transportation
fuels.
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Reflections
Individual Reflections from Each Member
Group
The purpose of our project is to create and separate Ethanol from the sourdough starter. We chose to separate the ethanol from
our starter to use it as a flammable fuel. The two redox reactions include; glucose breaking down and fermenting into ethanol and
through a combustion of ethanol. What we struggled with was perfecting our sourdough starter. We made some errors but after
learned from our mistakes and created the optimal sourdough starter. Firstly, 2/3 sourdoughs that we had produced had a fruit fly
problem due to a leakage in the binding on our container. This was solved by us realizing that we were underfeeding our
sourdough starter. Through that mistake, we optimized our results by trial and error. Our team’s question is how can we make gas
more sustainable. We can make it more sustainable by creating biodiesel with the alcohol we obtained. This fuel is more
sustainable than petroleum and is renewable as well. One modification we may make to our experimental design would be to
alter the temperature during the fermentation phase. This would allow us to observe how temperature variations affect the
microorganisms in the sourdough starter's development and activity, which may have an effect on the development of biofuel. For
future research, we can explore different types of microorganisms or additives that could potentially boost biofuel production.
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Amitpal
What I did in this group project was help work on the slides and lab report,
help with the experiment, clean the items we used, help with purchasing
supplies for the group, and I wrote the extension to our findings. How I did this
was by researching and experimenting. Doing this was able to assist me in
knowing what to write. Why I did this was to learn about redox chemistry.
Individual Question: How does your experiment relate to you personally?
My experiment relates to me personally due to granting me an opportunity to
learn about redox chemistry. I was able to learn about sourdough and
fractional distillation. This was able to further advance my chemistry
knowledge and will help me succeed in the chemistry field.
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Anshi
I had the opportunity to solidify my knowledge of redox equations
by exploring the various avenues of biofuel production through
ethanol distillation. In this group project I contributed to
brainstorming the project topic, gathering and analyzing data,
setting up the distillation apparatus, monitoring the state of the
sourdough started, curating information on this PowerPoint and
problem solving went we ran into difficulties. Individual question: I
claim myself to be an environmentalist and i find personal
connection to this lab because of its focus on sustainable fuels and
environmental benefit through biofuels. I will also have my N soon
so O care about the fuel I burn.
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Bhavan
While completing this project I helped in gathering
materials, feeding the sourdough starter, and cleaning the
materials. I also helped format some of the slides and
brainstorm some ideas. This project relates to me
personally because I am a curious person. This
project allowed me to explore a new area of interest. It
was also an opportunity for personal growth and allowed
me to gain a better understanding of the scientific process
of fractional distillation.
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Michael
During this project I helped with research, brainstorming, and
setting up the lab equipment and starting/feeding our
sourdough. I did the format for our slides and procedure for
the lab. Alongside with conducting the experiment as well
Individual Question: This lab relates to me personally, as I
personally love baking. Which is why I was enthusiastic in
making and feeding our sourdough starter. Knowing that
sourdough produces a little bit of lactic acid and ethanol
through fermentation. Made it easy to choose a lab topic for
me. I also want my gas to be a little cheaper and more ethical.
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Raveena
In this project, I helped with the set up of our experiment, purchasing ingredients,
and research. As the project manager, I helped delegate tasks as well. This
experiment personally relates to me because as someone who drives, gas can be
very expensive and my car leaks it. By introducing bio-fuel through the form of
sourdough starter, I can not only save money but reduce my carbon footprint. While
sourdough starter itself isn't directly used to make biofuel, it can be a source of
organic material that can be converted into biofuel. In order to create ethanol,
which may be used as a biofuel, the process involves removing the sugars and carbs
from the initial source and fermenting them.
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Sources Cited
Sourdough starter(hooch) processes
https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2019/03/beginner-sourdough-starter-recipe/
https://www.sourdoughhome.com/what-is-hooch/#:~:text=Hooch%20is%20formed%20and%20thrown,compared%20to%20a%20thicker%20starter.
Bio ethanol production
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/bioethanol#:~:text=Bioethanol%20production%20includes%20three%20processes,et%20al.%2C%202017).
Background info and research
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/bioethanol#:~:text=Advantages%20of%20bioethanol%20as%20a,the%20existing%20engine%20%5B13%5D.
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=27&t=10#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20general%20categories,up%20to%2085%25%20fuel%20ethanol.
https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Bioethanol#:~:text=Bioethanol%20is%20frequently%20used%20as,of%20this%20substance%2C%20see%20ethanol.
https://sites.lafayette.edu/egrs352-sp15-biofuels/benefits-of-bioethanol/
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