What is Wagners Reagent Solution Used for and Where to Find its Suppliers

Wagner’s solution or Wagner’s reagent solution is an aqueous mixture of potassium iodide and iodine and is used to analyse alkaloids under microchemical analysis. There are several methods available that are used to determine the presence and quantity of alkaloids but Wagner’s reagent solution test is known to be the most reliable. Colour reactions are commonly used and may give near accurate results but cannot be trusted with always giving the correct output, especially with the detection of small amounts of a quantity. Microcrystalline tests like the Wagner’s solution test are performed by placing few drops of the solution to be tested on a microscopic slide and then adding the reagent. This is then examined under low adjusted magnification.

How chemical tests are used to determine the presence of alkaloids

There are two methods of detection of alkaloids, namely, alkaloidal precipitants and alkaloidal colour reagents. Wagner’s reagent solution manufacturers ensure that the main components which constitute the reagent are in their purest state such that accurate results can be had from the tests or experiments performed with them. Impure state of the constituent elements can lead to inaccurate and faulty results. The two methods mentioned are not separately sufficient to detect and identify alkaloids. Both of these tests have to be performed together along with some other confirmatory tests to get the most reliable results.

General precipitants in alkaloids are tested by applying them on a watch glass with clean surface. The reagents used give crystalline or amorphous precipitates. A one percent solution of alkaloidal salt diluted slightly with dilute hydrochloric acid is prepared. A number of tests are then performed using this concentrate, out of which Wagner’s solution is most preferred due to its high sensitivity.

Types of tests performed on an alkaloidal concentrate to detect it quantitatively

There are several reagent solutions used along with specific confirmatory solutions to identify the quantitative value of alkaloidal salt. Wagner’s reagent solution suppliers mostly receive their orders from chemical laboratories which use it extensively to determine the properties of various chemical components. Few commonly performed tests for the determination of alkaloids include:

• Wagner’s reagent, Iodine-potassium iodide solution- A solution made up of 2 g potassium iodide and 1.3 g iodine in 100 ml of water. This gives a precipitate which is reddish brown in colour with most concentrations having alkaloidal presence and even with purine bases.

• Dragendorff’s reagent, potassium bismuth iodide- comprises of nitric acid, bismuth nitrate, water and iodide. This gives an orange colour precipitate.

• Mayer’s reagent, potassium mercuric iodide- 1.36 g HgCl2 + 5 g KI + 100 ml H2O, this commonly used solution gives a white coloured precipitate.

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Created on Apr 23rd 2018 00:22. Viewed 501 times.

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