Chemical Speciation Analysis of Sports Drinks by Acid–Base Titrimetry and Ion Chromatography: A Challenging Beverage Formulation Project

This article describes a three-part laboratory project that integrates a full chemical speciation analysis for use in undergraduate analytical chemistry classes. Laboratory analyses include base standardization, potentiometric or colorimetric titration, and ion chromatography. Potentiometric or colorimetric titration is used to analyze for citric acid, potassium hydrogen phosphate, and citrate while ion chromatography is used to analyze for chloride, phosphate, and total citrate in commercially available sports drinks and powders. The examples illustrated in the article include formulation analyses of Gatorade and Powerade liquid beverages. Determining the formulation of the beverage requires integrating theory with lab data through a detailed analysis of the chemical speciation of citrate and phosphate.