Simple, easy DIY test for mg/mL nicotine. A Follow Up on DVAP's Method

[DVap]

Quick note:

I know I had decided I wasn't interested in providing support for this thread, but a trick that's worth considering: The easiest way to make 0.1N acid, is with acetic acid, which will work as well as mineral acids like HCl or H2SO4 when titrating nicotine.

How do you make 0.1N acetic acid?

Get some quality name brand white vinegar that's labeled as "diluted with water to 5% acidity". Vinegar acidity is expressed as wt/volume, so 5% acidity refers to 50 grams of acetic acid per liter of product. The normality of 5% vinegar is 0.8326. Vinegar acidity is tightly controlled during manufacture, especially among the better name brands because full potency is needed for it to do it's job when using it for pickling.

To make 1 liter of 0.1N acetic acid, dilute exactly 120 mL of 5% white vinegar to 1 liter with distilled water. To make 1 liter of 0.12N acetic acid, dilute exactly 144 mL of 5% white vinegar to 1 liter with distilled water.

If you screw it up, add oil and pour over salad.

 

[Silence]

If you screw it up, add oil and pour over salad.

I wish this worked with juice that doesn't vape well

 

[JamieJ]

I read and continue to read dvap's thread on nicotine content testing DVAP we owe a huge debt of gratitude for this information, vaporer & exogenisis thanks for supporting DVAP in ideas and brainstorming. Pornbjorg, thanks for starting this thread and putting where to get supplies for people. I already had purchased mine after reading DVAP's instructions. I have been buying liquid from several places and testing my liquid as it comes in also just to know who I want to buy from in the future. Again thanks so much for providing your time and knowledge and sharing this information. And we all owe DVAP alot for actually doing all these experiments and sharing his results at his own risk.

 

[ryanSTi]

"12. Measure the final volume
13. Subtract 3 from the number you read in step 11
14. Multiply the result of step 12 by 19.4712"

Shouldn't it be:

12. Measure the final volume
13. Subtract 3 from the number you read in step 12
14. Multiply the result of step 13 by 19.4712

Reason I ask is that it's worded to subtract 3, and then never do anything with that new number (X=S-3)? Just curious!

 

[DonleyDoRight]

If anybody is interested I bought a lt. of Bromothymol Blue and 10 - 10ml graduated cylinders off EBay.

I will sell anybody that is trying out DVaps titration method 2 - 15 ml bottles and a cylinder for $15 shipping included.
Just for my friends here though. Spreading the love of the JUICE, one vape at a time.
Donley
PM me if you are interested.

 

[JamieJ]

donley hey have you done this on some eliquid yet? I have on several brands. It is actually kind of fun and definately Very interesting and it is guiding my juice purchasing.

 

[DonleyDoRight]

As a mater of fact, I have on many of my "store bought" liquids.
However on my home made juices they seem to be acidic so this method doesn't seem to work.
I need to do the math on using a .1N base titration test.

It works as advertised, to the tee.
DVap is without a doubt the MAN on this subject. We all owe him for his work and letting us all in on his work.

 

[SurfVortex]

Thank You, DVAP! Thank You, Pornbjorg!
I have just done my first test, and boy-howdy it was exciting! The test was on some homemade juice, and I got a good/encouraging result for my first go at it. Made some mistakes, but the method is wonderful. Looking forward to my next trip down Lab-Coat-Lane!
Thanks Again!

 

[Numanoid]

I have a dumb followup question. What happens when the liquid you start with already has a color? My favorite vape is Tasty Vapor's Atomic Fireball. I was planning on mixing in some more nicotine to get a higher concentration and then use this method to verify.

The problem: That e-liquid is very yellow to start. What would I expect to see? Would it go green with the blue added, and then with the new acid added it would revert to a yellow color?

 

[southjerseydeedee]

Rofl. You guys are great. I just vape until I get nicotine satifaction. Buying 24 or 36 mg and diluting to approx 18 mg with vg for better taste and vapor. Vaping has been self regulated according to satisfaction - ie - no longer chain vaping. Vape on my fellow vapers.

 

[Outlander]

Yes, most definately a for DVap, always there to assist the community.

 

[DVap]

Acids.. definitely a problem as far as getting an accurate titration. When I tested the various liquids TW sent me after they had a little chat with their manufacturer, all of them agreed with the labeled concentration, but there was one that I simply couldn't test.. the French Pipe flavor. It turned the indicator yellow with no addition of acid, I.E., the liquid itself was acidic.

It probably bears mentioning again, the truest intent of the original method was the testing of clear nic/PG concentrates (containing nothing but nic and PG). When testing finished e-liquids, such things as possible acidity or tint can really make a difference and make an accurate determination more difficult.

Colored liquids (as mentioned recent) can be tough. It's often still possible to determine the endpoint, but it's not quite so easy to predict what the color change will look like.. trial and error might be necessary to see if there's a notable change.

P.S. Þornbjörg, you had this thread sticky'ed... please support it, I shouldn't have to.

 

[Yankee802]

To make 1 liter of 0.1N acetic acid, dilute exactly 120 mL of 5% white vinegar to 1 liter with distilled water. To make 1 liter of 0.12N acetic acid, dilute exactly 144 mL of 5% white vinegar to 1 liter with distilled water.

If you screw it up, add oil and pour over salad.

I believe I know the answer to this, but want to ask just to make sure. I don't need a liter of .12N, just maybe a few ml, so couldn't I cut of a couple zeros and put 1.44ml of vinegar to 10ml of water? Wouldn't that be the right ratio?

 

[DonleyDoRight]

I believe I know the answer to this, but want to ask just to make sure. I don't need a liter of .12N, just maybe a few ml, so couldn't I cut of a couple zeros and put 1.44ml of vinegar to 10ml of water? Wouldn't that be the right ratio?

I can see no flaws in your math, Just watch the accuracy during the mix.

I have your cyl. and BTB ready to mail my good man. Going out on Monday with a few samples included.

 

[DVap]

I believe I know the answer to this, but want to ask just to make sure. I don't need a liter of .12N, just maybe a few ml, so couldn't I cut of a couple zeros and put 1.44ml of vinegar to 10ml of water? Wouldn't that be the right ratio?

As Donley has stated, your math is fine. He hints at an issue though. Do you have the proper equipment to measure down to 10 uL increments? This would take, in my opinion, a 1 mL precision syringe graduated in 10 uL increments.

 

[sanjosse]

I was wondering, does anybody sell kits to do this? I'm kinda lazy that way ;-)

 

[eeMGee]

I think I will go look on eBay for a mass spectrometer or gas chromatograph

 

[Laurijan]

Hi all!

Very helpful thread!

Often when my E-juice runs out because of Finnish customs delaying my orders, (laboratory testing the strength) I am forces to make my own E-juice from pharmacy nicotine inhalators capsules - which can be very dangerous if you don´t know what you are doing.

I hate aiding those stop-smoking and we rip you off companies with my money who takes part of fighting against free vaping but I sometimes only got the choice of vaping and aiding them or smoking and dying slowly.

I would love to test my home "brewn" juices strength to see if the maths I use for making them match.

Only problem is that chemicals like Bromtymol Blue and Sulfuric Acid are very restricted due to strange principles in Finland and you can´t really get them from the pharmacy or wholesale without being in a chemistry company.

I would have to order both chemicals from Germany which costs an arm and an leg with my current budged.

Is there any more easier available substance which you could use instead of .12N Sulfuric Acid - like lemon juice - using a bit different math in the calculations.

Or is there some chemistry set for kids that has Bromthymol Blue inside it or even .12N Sulfuric Acid?

Please Pornbjörg, look into this matter, I sometimes am scared of this DIY juices of mine and want to test them with your method before vaping them.

Lauri

 

[interestingfellow]

Com'n.... water? Dihydrogen Monoxide? Is that website serious?

I know that pure water is considered "hungry" and will disolve just about anything, but it is quite rare and unstable, so it doesn't last long if you do get some. It absorbs compounds from air, skin, plastic, glass.... anything.
Besides that, distilled water from the store isn't that pure. Mostly, it just lacks higher ppm of minerals and what not.

Someone please tell me I'm just being slow in the head, and that website is some schtick?

*EDIT*
Upon further reading, I figured out that for as smart as I am, I'm still a dumb bass.....
You friggin guys

 

[carpedebass]

Colorometric titration...I love it!