LAVOISIER: Chemistry Education Journal
Vol 5, No 1 (2026)

COMPARISON OF UV-VIS SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION, AND CONDUCTOMETRY METHODS IN THE DETERMINATION OF VITAMIN C CONTENT IN COMMERCIAL BEVERAGES

Haidhar Arvin Hidayatullah (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)
Ahmad Wahyu Aprillianto (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)
Arka Raditya Akmal (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)
Faramufida Fricha Fricha (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)
Venus Ramadhani Farichah (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)
Meisela Rosalina Dewi (Chemical Engineering Department State Polytechnic of Malang)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

Verification of vitamin C content in commercial packaged beverages is an important analytical need, given the chemical instability of ascorbic acid under various environmental factors that can cause the actual content to deviate from the declared label value. This study aimed to compare the analytical performance of three vitamin C determination methods, namely UV-Vis spectrophotometry, potentiometric titration, and conductometry, applied to a commercial beverage sample claiming 1000 mg vitamin C per 500 mL. UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis was performed by constructing a five-point calibration curve at 265 nm, potentiometric titration was conducted using 0.1000 N NaOH with continuous pH-based equivalence point detection via a calibrated glass electrode, and conductometry was performed by monitoring changes in electrical conductivity during neutralization with volume correction applied at each point. Each method was performed in five replicates. The results showed that UV-Vis spectrophotometry provided the best performance with a mean measured content of 1024.0 mg/500 mL, %error of 2.48%, and %RSD of 0.85%. Potentiometric titration yielded a mean content of 1038.7 mg/500 mL with %error of 3.87% and %RSD of 1.65%. Conductometry produced the largest deviation with a mean content of 1072.3 mg/500 mL, %error of 7.23%, and %RSD of 4.22%. The high deviation in conductometry was attributed to matrix interference from various ions and organic acids in the beverage contributing to the total conductivity response, while variability in potentiometric titration was influenced by the sensitivity of equivalence point detection to titrant addition rate and the non-selective response to all titratable acids in the sample. UV-Vis spectrophotometry is recommended as the most reliable and practical method for determining vitamin C content in complex commercial beverage matrices under routine analytical laboratory conditions.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

Lavoisier

Publisher

Subject

Chemistry Education

Description

LAVOISIER: Chemistry Education Journal, is a journal of chemistry education published by the Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training, UIN Syekh Ali Hasan Ahmad Addary Padangsidimpuan. This journal provides readers with present developments in chemistry education ...