Class: BE-210
Group: W8
Members: Minhthe Luu, Sofiya Kuchuk, Anil Seetharam, Adrian Shieh
Date: April 29, 1998
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Abstract:
The objectives of the experiment were to experimentally determine the calcium content in milk through atomic absorption spectrophotometry and to ascertain whether the standard method described by Perkins-Elmer Co. for calcium determination in milk using atomic absorption spectrophotometry is the most viable procedure.

The calcium content of four different types of commercially available cow’s milk was determined using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Milk was treated with one or both of two reagents, trichloroacetic acid and lanthanum chloride. The addition of lanthanum only was found to be most efficient on the basis of accuracy, speed, and cost. Using this method, the calcium content (in ppm) of whole, 2%, 1% and skim milk were found to be 1218 + 5.21%, 1158 + 0.79%, 1175 + 1.53% and 1154 + 1.53%, respectively.