How to Synthesize Citric Acid

Citric acid is an organic acid that gives citrus fruits, such as limes and lemons, their sour taste. In industry, citric acid is widely used as a preservative and as a flavor additive to soft drinks and foods. Citric acid is produced in all living organisms and is part of a vital metabolic reaction. Citric acid can be synthesized from Aspergillus niger, a fungus.

Things You'll Need

  • A culture of Aspergillus niger
  • Table sugar (brown or white)
  • Calcium hydroxide
  • Sulfuric acid
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a culture of Aspergillus niger. You can purchase it online from the ATCC, a non-profit biological resource center, Aspergillus niger is a fairly widespread fungus that can be found in many soils and some other environments.

    • 2

      Add sugar--any kind will do---to the culture of Aspergillus niger. The fungus will recycle the sugar into citric acid and carbon dioxide.

    • 3

      Filter and extract the citric acid from Aspergillus niger by adding calcium hydroxide, which will react with the acid to form a salt (calcium citrate), which will precipitate.

      The chemical reaction is:

      3Ca(OH)2 + 2C3H4[COOH]3OH -> Ca3(C6H5O7)2 + 3H2.

    • 4

      Scoop up the salt and add sulfuric acid to it. Again a crystallized precipitate (calcium sulfate) will form. But this time, you do not need it, but need to go for the liquid. This is citric acid. Here's the reaction:

      3H2SO4 + Ca3(C6H5O7)2 -> 2C3H4[COOH]3OH + 3CaS04.

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