CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
Name :
Class :
Roll No:
Year : 2014-2015

Certificate
This is to certify that Keshav Jain of
Class XII-G, in the academic year 20142015, has completed the project
To determine the amount of casein
present in different samples of milk.

under my guidance and supervision

and to my complete satisfaction.

______
Signature

Acknowledgement
I express my sincere gratitude to Mrs.
Madhu Mahajan and Mrs. Anita
Sharma (Chemistry teachers) for their
valuable guidance, and for giving useful
suggestions and relevant ideas that
facilitated an easy and early
completion of this project.
I also express my deep gratitude to our
lab assistants, who were instrumental
in this regard by providing all the
necessary materials required in this
project.

Index
Contents
Certificate
Acknowledgement
Aim
Description
Requirements
Procedure
Observation
Inference
Bibliography

Aim

To determine the amount of

casein present in different
milk samples.

Description
Casein is the main protein constituent of milk.
It constitutes about 80% of the total protein
in cows milk and about 3% of its weight.
Proteins precipitate when milk is moderately
acidified. Casein is sparingly soluble in water,
but dissolves completely in alkalis or strong
acids. It is a complete protein, meaning that it
contains all the essential amino acids, which
the body cannot manufacture on its own.
When dried, it is a white, amorphous powder
without any taste and odour. It is a mixed
phosphoprotein and occurs in milk as a
calcium salt (calcium caseinate) in the form of
micelles. The micelles have a negative charge.

When an acid is added to the milk, the

negative charge is neutralized.
Calcium caseinate + acetic acid casein (s)
+ calcium acetate (aq)

Requirements
Apparatus and Chemicals
250 ml beakers
Funnel
Glass rod
Chemical balances
Test tubes
Filtration flask
Bunsen burner
Different samples of milk
1% acetic acid solution
Saturated ammonium sulphate solution

Procedure
Take 20cc of cows milk in a clean, dry
beaker and add 20 mL of saturated
ammonium sulphate solution with
constant stirring. Fat and casein will
precipitate out.
Filter the solution and transfer the
precipitate into another beaker.
Add 30 mL of water to the precipitate.
Only casein dissolves in water, forming a
milky solution and leaving all the fat
undissolved.
Heat the milky solution to about 40 C and
add 1% acetic acid solution drop wise,
when casein gets precipitated.

 Filter the precipitate, wash with water

and let the precipitate dry.
Weigh the dry solid mass in a previously
weighed watch glass.
Repeat the experiment with other
samples of milk.

Observation table
Volume of milk taken in each case = 20 ml.
Name of the milk
Cow milk
Buffalo milk
Goat milk
Sheep milk

Weight of casein
0.68 g
0.84 g
0.66 g
1.10 g

% of casein
3.4
4.2
3.3
5.5

Inference
Different milk samples
contain different
percentages of casein.

Bibliography
NCERT Class 12 Chemistry
Comprehensive Practical
Chemistry
www.sciencebuddies.org
www.wikipedia.org