How to make sodium citrate from citric acid

Sodium citrate can be made from citric acid by neutralizing the citric acid with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. 

Here are the steps to make sodium citrate:

Materials:

Citric acid

Sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate

Distilled water

Pot or container

Measuring spoon

Stirring rod

pH meter or pH strips

Steps:

1.Measure out the desired amount of citric acid and place it in the pot or container.

2.Add distilled water to the pot or container, enough to dissolve the citric acid completely. The amount of water needed depends on the amount of citric acid used, but a general guideline is to use about 3 parts water to 1 part citric acid.

3.Heat the solution over low heat and stir until the citric acid is completely dissolved.

4.Measure out the desired amount of sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate and add it to the citric acid solution while stirring continuously. The amount of sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate needed will depend on the desired pH of the final solution. A general guideline is to use about 1.5 parts of sodium carbonate or 1.3 parts of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize 1 part of citric acid.

5.Continue to stir the solution until the sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate is completely dissolved and the pH of the solution is around 7.0.

6.If you have a pH meter, use it to check the pH of the solution. If you do not have a pH meter, you can use pH strips to check the pH. The ideal pH range for sodium citrate is between 7.2 to 7.6.

Once the solution has reached the desired pH, remove it from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Filter the solution to remove any impurities, if necessary.

7.Store the sodium citrate solution in a clean, dry container. It can be used immediately or stored for later use.