Determination of Carbon Dioxide in Cucumber Brines

Abstract
A simple, accurate method for determining carbon dioxide in fermenting cucumber brines is described. The method involves distillation of carbon dioxide from the acidified brine into standardized sodium hydroxide inside a closed jar. The sample is injected by a syringe and needle through a rubber serum stopper placed in the jar cap, into an acid solution. A small vial of sodium hydroxide placed inside the jar traps the carbon dioxide as it distills from the acidified solution. After being held in the jar 24 hr at 37°C, the vial is removed; the remaining base is titrated to the phenolphthalein end point with standardized hydrochloric acid. Advantages of the method include a limited working time, minimized loss of carbon dioxide during analysis, and a relatively small sample size.