We are four year 12 students currently carrying
out a CREST award project. Our current aim is
to be able to determine the iron content in
iron supplements by means of a method called
redox titrations. A redox titration is a chemical
reaction whereby elements are reduced (gains
electrons) and oxidised (loses electrons) at the
same time. Iron, Fe2+, although considered a
trace mineral (one that is needed in relatively
small quantities) is a fundamental part of our
diets as it is involved in so many metabolic
reactions that take place on a molecular level
within human beings: the most obvious
example being in the sustaining of human life.
Iron is necessary for the production of red
blood cells, or erythrocytes. The most common
nutritional disorder in the world is the lack of
iron in an individual’s diet; this is otherwise
known as iron deficiency anaemia.
Gold CREST Award Project 1
Sacred Heart Year 12 CREST Award
Chemistry 2016
Key chemistry skills used in this CREST Award.
Redox Titrations
Making standard solutions
Communicating complex ideas
Advanced calculations
Precision measurements
Research
Evaluative skills
Page 1
Iron standard solutions
Page 2
Chemistry 2016
Iron can be lost through various ways, including
urination, sweat and excretion. Moreover, bleeding
can cause a further loss of iron, and this is why there is
a greater demand for iron in women compared to men
due to a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Up to 6% of the general population suffer from iron
deficiency anaemia and in 2013, iron-deficiency
anaemia affected 1.2 billion people. To battle this, iron
can be naturally consumed through heme foods,
which derive from animals that had the haemoglobin
protein in their blood, or from non-heme foods which
come from plant sources. Alternatively, iron
supplements are available for intake in order to boost
the body’s iron levels to a sufficient amount.
This project so far has truly been an incredible experience. It has led to us
being able to delve deeper in our understanding of chemistry, escape the
parameters of the AS syllabus, and also build rapports with Cambridge PhD
graduates. Our next step is to titrate with more iron supplements in order to
gain more evidence and are currently considering experimenting with vitamin
C. After the project comes to completion, we hope to have achieved the Gold
CREST award.
Preparing standard
solutions
Vacuum filtration
Chemistry 2016
To test the toothpaste I used a standard paste which consisted of only coconut oil as the coconut oil removes the toxins from the mouth. The chemicals and ingredients that will be used are Baking Soda, Lemon juice, Strawberry and Hydrogen peroxide.
There are currently 2 Crest Awards being undertaken by a collective of 5, Year 12 Chemistry students. The second of the two projects is to do with investigating the different household products that can be used in toothpaste to cleanse and maintain healthy strong teeth.
Everyone involved in the CREST projects has gained an experience like no other. Students have gained knowledge in areas of chemistry which are not taught at A Level. CREST gives pupils the chance to participate in hands-on science through investigations and enquiry-based learning. Students are given the opportunity to conduct real research. The different projects have contributed to the scientific community.
Gold CREST Award Project 2
To model the stained teeth, chicken eggshell is used as it contains a similar composition of calcium. The eggshell is stained using red food colouring and white vinegar. The vinegar allows the egg shell to absorb the food colouring and this represents the plaque on teeth. The toothpaste works by removing the red food colouring and remaining acidic vinegar residues from the egg shell, just as toothpaste removes plaque from teeth.
This article was written by the following Year 12 Chemistry students: - John Vu, Edison Roamn, Simeon Akinwale, Thien Nguyen and Olusola Adeyemi