What happens when you mix sodium bicarbonate and citric acid? It looked like something blue was formed formed.

 

I am not sure because I remember seeing this reaction a long time ago, but I think that one or both of them dissolved in either vegtable oil or water?

 

I know that this is vague, but any help would be appreciated.

Edited August 13, 200817 yr by frosch45

How did you perform this? Were the reagents dissolved in water or another solvent? I also tried this with distilled water, grocery store NaHCO3, and pharmacy citric acid, and it was a clear solution for me. I looked for some vegetable oil (don't have any at the moment), but I added canola oil, in case oil somehow interferes with the reaction, but nothing happened out there was no change.

There are some very blue copper complexes of copper with citrate. You wouldn't need much of an impurity to send it slightly blue.

There are some very blue copper complexes of copper with citrate. You wouldn't need much of an impurity to send it slightly blue

 

I think that thats what must have happened