FACULTY OF CHEMICAL AND PROCESS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Semester I 2023/2024
BTK 2252
MASS TRANSFER
PROJECT

Title of Project : FOOD COLOURING (GREEN) MOLECULE

DIFFUSION IN AGAR GEL

Lecturer’s Name : PROF. MADYA DR. FATMAWATI BINTI ADAM

Group of Member:

NAME ID
1. MUHAMMAD AQIL AQLAN BIN ROZHAN KH22036
2. KAHYALVILI A/P SHANKAR KH22057
3. HIMMAT BIN MD ZAIN KH22083
4. NURUL AISYAH BINTI NOOR AMRAN KH22085
5. FARAH ZULAIKHA BINTI ZAKARIA KH22087
6. NUR ARDINIE ZULAIKHA BINTI SHAMZURANY KH22088
Group No. : 01
Section : 01G
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Food colouring is a substance that was added to food or drink to change its colour. It is a
common application of colorants in the food industry to enhance the visual appeal of products. In
the context of mass transfer, particularly in the food industry, the addition of food colouring is
more closely related to diffusion and mixing processes. Diffusion in food colouring happen when
the molecules of the colouring agent spread out evenly through the mixture over time. Meanwhile,
for mixing process, mechanical mixing or stirring is often employed in food processing to enhance
the speed and uniformity of colour distribution. Agar is a gelatinous substance that is extracted
from seaweed and processed into flakes, powders and sheets. It is commonly used as a flavourless
vegan substitute for gelatine. In addition, agar is widely used in gel, stabilize, texturize and thicken
beverages, baked goods, confectioneries, dairy products, dressings, meat products and sauces
(Jacqueline B. Marcus MS, 2013).

For this mini project, the objective is to inspect the diffusivity of food colouring through
agar gel. The diffusivity of a substance through a medium, such as agar gel, can depend on various
factors, including the specific properties of the substance, the characteristics of the medium, and
environmental conditions like temperature. In this project, the experiment was conducted to
measure the rate at which the food colouring diffuses through the agar gel under controlled
conditions. The diffusion process can be modelled using Fick's laws of diffusion, which describe
the relationship between the concentration gradient, diffusivity, and the rate of diffusion (Larissa
Zhou et al, 2015). The controlled conditions which has been set in this project is temperature.

The diffusivity of food colouring through agar gel can be affected by various factors. Some
of the factors that will affect in this project are temperature, agar gel concentration and size of food
colouring molecules. For temperature, diffusion rates are typically higher at higher temperatures
due to increased molecular kinetic energy. As temperature increases, the molecules within both the
food colouring and the agar gel move more rapidly, facilitating faster diffusion. Besides, the
concentration of the agar gel itself can impact diffusivity. Higher concentrations of agar gel may
offer more resistance to diffusion, slowing down the process. Lastly, for size of food colouring
molecules, larger and heavier molecules generally diffuse more slowly through a medium like agar
gel compared to smaller ones.
 2.0 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Material and Apparatus

1. 20g of agar
2. 1 litre of water
3. Food colouring green powder
4. A transparent container
5. A syringe with needle
6. A straw with diameter 0.8cm

0.8cm diameter straw

Syringe with
needle

Transparent
container

20g of agar
1 litre of water

Green food
colouring powder
2.2 Preparation of agar-agar

One litre of water was

poured into an electric
pot and let to boil.

Once the water was

boiling water, the agar-
agar was added into the
boiling water and stirred
well until it dissolved.

Once dissolved, the pot

was turned off and the
mixture was let to cool
down for 5 minutes.

The agar-agar solution was

transferred into a flat container
and placed in a refrigerator for
hardening for 30 minutes.
2.3 Preparation of Dye solution

0.25 grams of green food The 0.25 grams of colour

colouring (powder) was (powder) was added into the
weighed and 15 ml of water water and stirred until it was
was measured. completely dissolved.

2.4 Experimental Procedure

A straw was used to poke a

hole in the middle of the agar.

The hardened agar was taken

out from the refrigerator.

A drop of dye solution was

dropped into the hole with a
syringe

After 12 hours, the radius of the

dye in the agar was observed.
The length of the radius was
measured and recorded.

Steps 3-4 were repeated 5

times to obtain 5 sets of data.
3.0 RESULT
Table 1: Diameter and radius of diffusion in agar gel over time

Time (hour) Diameter (cm) Radius (cm)

0 0.8 0.4

12 2.8 1.4

24 3.7 1.85

36 5.0 2.50

48 6.2 3.1

60 7.9 3.95
4.0 DISCUSSION

1. Plot any suitable/relevant graph and discuss.

Curve of Radius, r (cm) vs Time, t (hour)

4.5
4
y = 0.056x + 0.5214
3.5 R² = 0.9905
Radius, r (cm)

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time, t (hour)

Graph 1: Radius of green dye molecule in agar versus time in hour.

Based on the depicted graph, it can be inferred that there is a direct proportionality between
time (in hours) and radius (in centimetres). The graph illustrates a significant and rapid increase in
the radius as time progresses. The linear equation of this graph is y = 0.056x + 0.5214 and it is
confirmed by two value coordinates. The purpose is to establish a connection between the dye
colour radius and time, revealing a dependency between the two sets of data. Furthermore, the
regression line, denoted by R2 = 0.9905, signifies that approximately 90% of the variance in the
dependent variable can be accounted for by the independent variable, indicating a strong
explanatory relationship. Additionally, when considering the time taken, it becomes evident that
diffusion in a semisolid medium occurs at a slower rate compared to gas or liquid conditions. This
deceleration can be attributed to numerous obstacles or resistances present in the gelatine agar. The
gelatine agar, characterized by its 'porous' nature, contains water-filled pores, contributing to the
hindrance of diffusion. This hindrance is further exacerbated by an increased path length for
diffusion. The technique for creating agar that readily dissolves in water above its gelling
temperature is the focal point of this invention. The process involves utilizing traditional agar-agar
obtained from the dried powder of dehydrated agar gel granules following mechanical pressing.
By employing this technology, agar-agar, known for its capacity to dissolve in hot water above its
gelling temperature, can be manufactured more cost-effectively (Thami, 2013).

2. Find/Calculate the DAB of chemical colouring/dye in this gel material study. State
clearly your equation, assumptions, data source and etc in your calculation.

Figure 1: Chemical structure of Tartrazine and Brilliant Blue

Imagine that the gel is like a sponge with interconnected pores filled with water. The dye
pass through this aqueous stream, bumping into the gel fibers occasionally. The more collisions,
the slower the process. Temperature, molecular size and gel concentration affect the frequency of
collisions, ultimately determining how freely the dye diffuses through the agar. In this case, the
green dye has been used which is the mixture of two dyes. The Green Food Color is a mixture of
Brilliant Blue and Tartrazine that show a halo of yellow around a green dye spot with a blue-green
center. The specific name for Brilliant Blue is disodium;2-[[4-ethyl-3-sulfonatophenyl)
methyl]amino]phenyl]-[4-[ethyl-[(3-sulfonatophenyl)methyl]azaniumylidene]cyclohexa-2,5-
dien-1-ylidene]methyl]benzenesulfonate (PubChem, n.d.-a) while for Tartrazine is tridsodium;5-
oxo-1-(4-sulfonatophenyl)-4-[(4-sulfonatophenyl)diazinyl-4H-pyrazole-3-3carboxylate
(PubChem, n.d.). The formula molecule and molecular weight for Brilliant Blue are
C37H34N2Na2O9S3 and 792.85 g/mol respectively. The formula molecule and molecular weight for
Tartrazine are C16H9N4Na3O9S2 and 534.36 g/mol. So, the molecular weight for Green is 1027.21
g/mol.
 In this project, Semiempirical Polson equation was used to find the value of diffusion
coefficient, DAB because the molecular weight of green dye is more than 1000 (Geankoplis, 2018).
The weight of agar and volume of water that is used is 20g and 1 litre respectively to ensure agar
is successfully produced. This is because the dry green powder (A) is a very large spherical
molecule that diffuses with water (B) of a small molecule. By considering the aggregation of both
solvent and solute molecules, the semi-empirical equation employed forecasts the diffusion
coefficients of substances within an infinite dilution of solvent.
 3. Compare DAB to the DAB value of your dye solute from the published literature.

Some typical gels are agarose, agar, and gelatin. A number of organic polymers exist as
gels in various types of solution. To measure the diffusivity of solutes in gels, unsteady state
methods are used. For example, in one method the gel is melted and poured into a narrow tube
open at one end. After solidification of gel, the tube is placed in an agitated bath containing the
solute for diffusion. The solute leaves the solution at the gel boundary and diffuses through the gel
itself. After a period of time the amount diffusing in the gel is determined to give the diffusion
coefficient of the solute in the gel (Geankoplis, 2018). Fick’s second law, as applied to diffusion in
a gel (Lauffer, n.d.).

The experimental diffusivity, DAB value of green dye with molecular weight 1027.21 g/mol
calculated using Semiempirical Polson equation was 2.8522×10-10 m2/s while the theoretical value
from the literature was 2.47×10-10 m2/s with 0.79wt% gel in solution (Geankoplis, 2018). The
percentage error of DAB between experimental and theoretical was 15.47%. It shows the error
because of assumptions and simplifications or uncertainties in experimental measurements. While
the experimental DAB diffusion coefficient deviates slightly from the theoretical value, the reasons
for this difference required further investigation. By carefully evaluating potential sources of error
and refining the theoretical model, a more accurate understanding of DAB diffusion in the specific
system can be achieved. Some typical gels are agarose, agar, and gelatin. A number of organic
polymers exist as gels in various types of solution. To measure the diffusivity of solutes in gels,
unsteady state methods are used. After solidification of gel, the solute leaves the solution at the gel
boundary and diffuses through the gel itself. After a period of time the amount diffusing in the gel
is determined to give the diffusion coefficient of the solute in the gel (Geankoplis, 2018).
4. By assuming the condition is unsteady state, the dimension of your agar or gelatin or
carrageenan slab containing the selected dye material is immersed in pure turbulent
water. The dimension of your slab is 10mm x 12mm x 10mm. Find the concentration
at midpoint after 24 hours. State clearly your equations, figures, assumptions and
justifications in your calculation.
5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In conclusion, the objective of the experiment was achieved to predict the mass transfer
diffusion of chemical colouring solute in gel solution. From the result, the calculated experimental
value is 2.8522×10-10 m2/s while the theoretical value from the literature is 2.47×10-10 m2/s. From
both of these calculated values, the percentage error between the values is 15.47% due to the
porosity of the agar gel. We can see that as time passes, the length of the radius and diameter of
the food colouring diffuse increases. Based on this relationship, we can determine that as more
time passes, more molecules of the food colouring diffuse into the agar gel. Hence, it can be
concluded that the experiment was a success.

There are some recommendations to improve the experiment efficiency when conducting
the experiment. First, choose the suitable straw to make a perfect hole in agar gel to avoid agar gel
to crack. Second, placed the food colouring green dye carefully in agar gel and avoid it from
overflow in agar gel. Third, put the container at the dry environment to maintain consistent
temperature, pH, and other environmental conditions throughout the experiment which is not
exposed to the direct sunlight to ensure the agar gel specimen maintain its texture and minimize
their influence on diffusion rates.
6.0 REFERENCES
1. Jacqueline B. Marcus MS, in Culinary Nutrition (2013). Food Science Basics: Healthy
Cooking and Baking Demystified. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-
and-biological-sciences/agar
2. Larissa Zhou et al, (2015). Understanding diffusion theory and Fick's law through
food and cooking. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00133.2014
3. Thami, L. (2013, May 3). Production process of quick soluble agar. Retrieved from
Google Patents: https://patents.google.com/patent/US5496936A/en
4. Geankoplis, C. J., Hersel, A. H., & Lepek, D. H. (2018). Transport processes and
separation process principles.
5. Lauffer, M. A. (n.d.). Theory of Diffusion in Gels. Biophysical Journal, 1(3), 205–
213. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3495(61)86884-7
6. PubChem. (n.d.). Tartrazine. PubChem.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Tartrazine#section=Names-and-
Identifiers
7. PubChem. (n.d.-a). Brilliant Blue FCF. PubChem.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Brilliant-Blue-FCF
7.0 APPENDICES
Link video experiment:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16QjhOhyzEtYpjOs3cSMYeGZdMNeqcOFO/view?usp=drivesdk

Figure 2:Figure of the initial radius after dropped a few dye solutions in the middle of the hole

Figure 3: Figure of the dye radius after 12 hours

Figure 4: Unsteady-state transport in a large flat slab (Figure 5.3-5)