The thermal stability of aspirin: the effect of temperature on aspirin hydrolysis
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Course
Chemistry Higher Level IB
Institution
As a future medicine student I wanted to investigate something related with a drug commonly used nowadays. Aspirin is the usual name for all drugs that contain the organic chemical compound: acetyl-salycilic acid. It is worldwide used as an analgesic to relieve pain, as an antipyretic to reduce fev...
, The thermal stability of aspirin: the effect of temperature on aspirin hydrolysis
Introduction:
As a future medicine student I wanted to investigate something related with a drug
commonly used nowadays. Aspirin is the usual name for all drugs that contain the organic
chemical compound: acetyl-salycilic acid. It is worldwide used as an analgesic to relieve
pain, as an antipyretic to reduce fever and as an inflammatory medication. Acetylsalicylic
acid was first isolated in 1897 by Feliz Holfmann. This was the first drug produced
synthetically, which started the pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, Aspirin reacts with
body fluids or water to give salicylic acid and acetic acid, shown in figure 1.1
The drug tablet has an acid-resistant envelope because one of the compounds (salicylic
acid) can irritate the mouth, esophagus and stomach membranes. I was initially intrigued
by this experiment because the substance that actually relieves pain is salicylic acid. The
rate in which the hydrolysis happens is important because when the pill is taken it
hydrolyses in the body. Also, it is helpful for storage and transportation. If the tablets are
stored in a very humid place, they will hydrolyse. That’s why I was interested in
investigating the factors that affect its rate. This led me to pose my research question:
To what extent does increasing temperature (23.0°C, 30.0°C, 40.0°C, 60.0°C, 70.0°C) affect
the hydrolysis of aspirin?
Background Information:
Thermal stability is defined as the ability of a compound to undergo heat and maintain its
properties without breaking apart. The stability of a drug is important because it can
become less effective as it degradates. Another important term is hydrolysis. It is the
reaction of a compound with water. In case of aspirin, it breaks down into salicylic acid and
acetic acid. In room temperature it would take a month for aspirin to completely degrade.
However, if temperature is increased the thermal stability of the drug decreases. It is stated
that stability is inversely proportional to energy. This is because more energy increases the
particle’s kinetic energy, thus decreasing the stability. When heat is added the bonds in the
molecules break easier. However, to understand how aspirin hydrolysis works it's
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