I am looking for the method and EXACT solvents needed in order to take a bunch of bananas mash them up and then extract only pure potassium out of them.
Can anyone help me out on this one?
Thanks for any help you can give.
2006-11-08 02:35:52 · 4 answers · asked by Chem_lover_Chris 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
At about 10 milligrams per banana, you're talking a lot of bananas, and that doesn't even count the extraction and purification loss you'll have.
Why not try wood ash. It's easier.
2006-11-08 02:44:17 · answer #1 · answered by Radagast97 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Pure" potassium is a metal that spontaneously forms KOH and hydrogen gas upon contact with atmospheric water, and that will burst into flame if it comes in contact with liquid water. You will have to isolate it as a salt.
If all you want to do is analyze the potassium content in bananas, the link below takes you to a "Journal of Food Composition and Analysis" article in which the authors analyzed metals, including potassium, in tropical fruit using ICP-AES (inductively-coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy).
2006-11-08 03:47:22 · answer #2 · answered by wcholberg 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the amount of pottasium in bananas is extremely small and wouldn't be worth the effort!!
2006-11-08 02:44:21 · answer #3 · answered by The Cheminator 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dare i ask why?
2006-11-08 02:39:25 · answer #4 · answered by David G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋