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Calibration Curve


In analytical chemistry, a calibration curve is a general method for determining the concentration of a substance in an unknown sample by comparing the unknown to a set of standard samples of known concentration. A calibration curve is one approach to the problem of instrument calibration.
The calibration curve is a plot of how the instrumental response, the so-called analytical signal, changes with the concentration of the analyte (the substance to be measured). The operator prepares a series of standards across a range of concentrations near the expected concentration of analyte in the unknown. The concentrations of the standards must lie within the working range of the technique (instrumentation) they are using. Analyzing each of these standards using the chosen technique will produce a series of measurements. For most analyses a plot of instrument response vs. analyte concentration will show a linear relationship. The operator can measure the response of the unknown and, using the calibration curve, can interpolate to find the concentration of analyte.

The data - the concentrations of the analyte and the instrument response for each standard - can be fit to a straight line, using linear regression analysis. This yields a model described by the equation y = mx + y0, where y is the instrument response, m represents the sensitivity, and y0 is a constant that describes the background. The analyte concentration (x) of unknown samples may be calculated from this equation

A calibration curve plot showing limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), dynamic range and limit of linearity (LOL)

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Water Content Analysis



Water content or food moisture involves the whole coverage of the food items in the world because foods are comprising a considerable amount of water rather than other ingredients. Foods are vital components which are consumed by the people at each and every moment for the surviving in the world. Basically, there are several kinds of foods are available for the consumption as raw foods, processed foods and modified foods in the market. The moisture content of the food material is important to consider the food is suitable before the consumption because moisture content affects the physical, chemical aspects of food which relates to the freshness and stability for the storage of the food for a long period of time and the moisture content determines the actual quality of the food before consumption and to the subsequent processing in the food sector by the food producers.
There are some methods that usually used to measure food moisture. Some of them are explained below.
1.      Oven Drying
The oven-drying method is lose of weight on heating used to calculate water content of sample. As we know that pure water evaporates at 100oC at sea level. So, by heat the sample at water boiling point, it will reduce the water that contains in food. The water content will be known by calculate the different mass after drying. Some instrument that can be used in this method is:
·         convection oven, 101-105oC, several hours - overnight, heat stable samples
·         forced draft oven;  better air circulation
·         vacuum oven, approx. 70oC (25-100 mmHg), several hours - overnight, heat unstable samples (sugars)
·         infrared drying lamps; incorporates direct reading balance, fast but lacks accuracy, distance from sample is important, sample thickness (curst formation), not approved by AOAC
·         vacuum desiccators at room temperature; for products such as backing powder

Advantages:
o   simple, little expense and reasonably accurate
Disadvantages:
o   unsuitable for products
§  C6H12O6 ® 6C + 6H2O (produce moisture)
§  sucrose hydrolysis (utilise moisture)
o   containing volatile constituents
§  acetic & butyric acids; alcohols, esters & aldehydes
o   variation between samples due to variation in sample particle size

2.      Distillation Method
Distillation will used to know water content in food that also contain some immiscible solvent (xylene or toluene). This solvent has less dense than water with boiling point slightly higher. This method will helps prevent charring of sample and assists in heat transfer and effective distillation. During distillation process sample and solvent in distillation flask heated to distill emulsion of water and solvent. Emulsion condenses in condenser and runs into graduated tube (Bidwell-Sterling moisture trap). Emulsion separates and water layer can be measured on graduations under solvent layer.
Advantages;
o   useful for foods containing low moisture content and volatile oils
o   cheap to run, no sophisticated equipment
Disadvantages;
o   under estimates water content (water droplet may cling to dirty apparatus)
o   requirement for flammable solvents
3.      Chemical procedures - Karl Fischer Titration
This procedure is ideal for low moisture foods showing erratic results by oven drying. It is rapid & sensitive (no heat) and based on reduction of iodine with SO2 in the presence of water.
2H2O + SO2 + I2 ® C5H2SO4 + 2HI
Difficulties and sources of error of Karl Fischer Titration are:
  Incomplete water extraction (especially in solid food)
o   finely grind food
  Atmospheric water (drying tubes)
  Moisture adhering to unit
  Interference
o   ascorbic acid
o   carbonyl compounds
o   unsaturated fatty acids

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Water as A Universal Solvent


Water is a chemical compound and polar molecule, which is liquid at standard temperature and pressure. It has the chemical formula H2O, meaning that one molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Water is found almost everywhere on earth and is required by all known life.
Water is known as a good solvent. It can be used as a universal solvent because its polar characteristic. The water molecule forms an angle, with hydrogen atoms at the tips and oxygen at the vertex. Since oxygen has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen, the side of the molecule with the oxygen atom has a partial negative charge. A molecule with such a charge difference is called a dipole. The charge differences cause water molecules to be attracted to each other (the relatively positive areas being attracted to the relatively negative areas) and to other polar molecules. This attraction is known as hydrogen bonding.
When an ionic or polar compound enters water, it is surrounded by water molecules. The relatively small size of water molecules typically allows many water molecules to surround one molecule of solute. The partially negative dipoles of the water are attracted to positively charged components of the solute, and vice versa for the positive dipoles.
In general, ionic and polar substances such as acids, alcohols, and salts are easily soluble in water, and non-polar substances such as fats and oils are not. Nonpolar molecules stay together in water because it is energetically more favorable for the water molecules to hydrogen bond to each other than to engage in van der Waals interactions with non-polar molecules.
An example of an ionic solute is table salt; the sodium chloride, NaCl, separates into Na+ cations and Cl- anions, each being surrounded by water molecules. The ions are then easily transported away from their crystalline lattice into solution. An example of a non-ionic solute is table sugar. The water dipoles hydrogen bond to the dipolar regions of the sugar molecule and allow it to be carried away into solution.

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