Principle of Benedict Test
When Benedict’s reagent is heated with the reducing sugar, Benedict’s test is carried out. The sugar is transformed into strong reducing agents known as enediols by alkaline sodium carbonate. Reduction reaction takes place which leads to the formation of cuprous oxide Cu2O, which causes the change in the mixture’s color from blue to brick-red precipitate.
After that, Cupric Cu2+ is reduced to Cuprous Cu+. Red-colored cuprous oxide is separated because it is not soluble in water. A high sugar concentration causes the resulting solution to become more reddish, which in turn causes the precipitate to have a larger volume.
Benedict’s Test
Benedict’s Test is a chemical test used to identify reducing sugars present in the solution. Reducing sugars are those sugars that have reducing properties. All monosaccharides and disaccharides (apart from sucrose) are reducing sugars, such as glucose, fructose, lactose, etc; they contain an aldehyde (-CHO) or a ketonic C = O. Benedict’s Test also called Benedict’s Solution or Benedict’s Reagent is used to identify simple sugars like glucose.
In this article, we will learn about Benedict’s Test, Procedure of Benedict’s Test, Preparation of Benedict’s Reagent, and others in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Benedict’s Test?
- Principle of Benedict Test
- Preparation of Benedict’s Reagent
- Procedure of Benedict’s Test
- Testing for Reducing Sugars
- Applications of Benedict’s Test
- Limitation of Benedict’s Test