A second 10 mL extraction gave essentially quantitative recovery. A good IR can be obtained from 1 mg of caffeine as a KBR pellet. A capillary GC method has been reported which would be good for GC-MS analysis. This experiment is a good alternative to the traditional separatory funnel method using a strong tea bag concentrate, particularly if methylene chloride is being used for extraction. Methylene chloride is now considered a carcinogen.
Students can compare different coffee brews for caffeine content.
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