Determining the Chemical Make-up of the Flavoring of Coca-Cola and the Degradation of Plastic Bottles

1. Determining the Chemical Make-up of the Flavoring of Coca-Colaand the Degradation of Plastic Bottles Jill Fisher Science Seminar Dr. Heyen, Advisor

2. Purpose of Experiment, Part 1 To compare chemicals of proposed Coca-Cola recipe with chemicals found from Coca-Cola product using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and ultraviolet spectrophotometry.

3. Methods • Extract organic compounds with ethyl ether, compare using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GCMS), run spectrum using ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer • Dilute with methanol, compare using GCMS • Dilute with water, run spectrum with UV spectrophotometer

4. GCMS Coca-Cola samples dissolved in methanol or extracted with ethyl ether were heated and detected for comparison with chemicals in a database.

6. UV Spectrophotometry • Extracted and diluted Coca-Cola samples were ran in a spectrum of 190 nm – 320 nm • Diluted sample was tested with certain wavelengths for absorbency/%transmittance

7. Target Chemicals

8. Results from GCMS • The GCMS analysis shows the presence of several peaks, thus several chemicals • No exact matches, but possible derivatives of target chemicals Example: Vanillin Vanilglycolic acid

10. Vanillin derivative Myristicin/Safrole derivative

11. Results from Spectrophotometer • Spectrum gave peaks for cinnamaldehyde and linalool • Several targeted wavelengths formed one peak • Photometer gave individual absorbencies for entered wavelengths

12. Target Chemicals

13. Conclusions • The secret flavoring of Coca-Cola does include citric acid, vanilla, and cinnamon oil. • Coriander and nutmeg oil have a high possibility of being included. • Recipe may have changed over the decades.

14. Purpose of Experiment, Part 2 To test for the presence of acetaldehyde in water contained in plastic bottles under different environments for an extended period of time. heat Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) Acetaldehyde

15. Methods • Extract organic compounds with ethyl ether • React aldehyde with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine • Extract organic compounds with Solid Phase Extraction tubes • Identify with GCMS 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine

16. 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) • 2,4-DNPH reagent is made with phosphoric acid, ethyl ether, and 2,4-DNPH • The DNPH will react with aldehydes to give 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone

17. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) • Water is pulled through column with suction filtration. • Chemicals on media are eluted with methanol

18. Sample Environments • Water stored for 36 days in Greenhouse, Organic Lab, and Microbiology Refrigerator • Temperatures of water at collection: • Greenhouse: 29.5°C • Organic Lab: 20.5°C • Refrigerator: 6.0°C

19. Target Chemicals • 2,4-dinitrolphenylhydrazone • 2,4-dinitrolphenylhydrazine • Ethyl ether DNPH Reaction Solid Phase Extraction • Acetaldehyde • Methanol

20. Results from GC • Samples mixed with DNPH reagent did not give any noticeable results • Samples from SPE only showed excess chemicals from greenhouse container

21. Greenhouse sample with DNPH Organic lab sample with DNPH Fridge sample with DNPH

22. Greenhouse sample from SPE Organic lab sample from SPE Fridge sample from SPE

23. Conclusion • The DNPH did not show the presence of acetaldehyde. • The SPE did show a presence of a larger compound, perhaps from the PETE or from the silica gel matrix.

24. Acknowledgements and Thanks Thanks to Dr. Heyen for being my advisor and helping with the equipment and procedure. Thanks to Diane Soldan and Caleb Mason for chugging Coca-Cola.

25. Sources 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2%2C4-dinitrophenylhydrazine Acetaldehyde. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetaldehyde Cinnamon. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon Coca-Cola. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula Coriander. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander Neroli. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neroli Nutmeg. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutmeg Orange Oil. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_oil Polyethylene Terephthalate. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate The Coca-Cola Recipe. Soda Museum. http://www.sodamuseum.bigstep.com/generic.jhtml?pid=10 The Safety of Convenience-Size Plastic Beverage Bottles. Plastics Info. http://www.plasticsinfo.org/beveragebottles/apc_faqs.html Van Aardt, Marleen. “Effect of Shelf-Life and Light Exposure on Acetaldehyde Concentration in Milk Packaged in HDPE and PETE Bottles.” Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2000. Vanilla. Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla Weast, Robert C, ed. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 57th Ed. Cleveland: CRC Press, 1976. Williamson, Kenneth. Macroscale and Microscale Organic Experiments. 3rd Ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Zubrick, James W. The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004.