Objective: To detect the presence of aluminum by testing both a deodorant
Materials and Methods/Procedures: A boiling water bath was prepared in a
600 ml beaker, and four test tubes were cleaned, dried, and labeled with a
China marker. 0.25 g of Antiperspirant (Arid XX) was weighed with one
sheet of clean weighing paper and placed in Tube #2, while 0.25 g of
Deodorant (Speed Stick) was weighed with another sheet of weighing paper
and placed in Tube #3. Tube #1 (the Positive control tube) had a pinch of
aluminum salt placed in it, while nothing was placed in Tube #4. 4 ml of
distilled water was added to each tube, followed by 1 ml of 6M hydrochloric
acid. The contents of each tube were mixed thoroughly with a stirring rod,
and the four tubes were placed in the boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
The tubes were removed from the water, allowed to cool to room temperature
and then had 2 drops of Aluminum reagent added to each tube, and color
changes noted. Each tube then had 6M ammonium hydroxide added until a
basic pH was reached. When the basic pH was reached, the tubes were
Results: The color change noted after the addition of Aluminum reagent was
peach in test tube #1, light-pink in test tube#2, pink in test tube #3 and
peach in test tube #4. After the 6M ammonium hydroxide was added, the
color change was pink for test tube #1, light purple for test tube #2,
light pink for test tube #3, and very light orange for test tube #4. The
Antiperspirant did contain aluminum because it had the gelatinous cherry-
red precipitate, while the Deodorant did not contain aluminum since it did
not have the gelatinous cherry-red precipitate. Test tubes #1 and #4 were
necessary to observe what the presence of aluminum looked like in the
experiment. The Antiperspirant was different because it had aluminum as an
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