Question

What will happen if you leave plastic wrap in a container with bromathal blue for four days

Answer 1

Leaving plastic wrap in a container with bromothymol blue for an extended period, such as four days, is unlikely to result in any significant chemical reaction or degradation of the plastic wrap itself. Plastic wrap is typically made from materials like polyethylene or PVC, which are relatively inert and do not react with most common substances, including bromothymol blue.

Bromothymol blue is a pH indicator commonly used in chemistry experiments to detect changes in the acidity or alkalinity of solutions. It changes color depending on the pH of the solution, turning yellow in acidic conditions, green in neutral conditions, and blue in alkaline conditions.

In this scenario, if there's no specific chemical interaction planned or anticipated between the plastic wrap and bromothymol blue, you can expect the following:

1. **No Chemical Reaction:** The plastic wrap will likely remain unchanged in terms of its chemical structure.

2. **Preservation of Bromothymol Blue:** Bromothymol blue may maintain its color and pH properties within the container.

3. **No Harmful Effects:** There should be no harmful effects or dangerous byproducts produced by the combination of plastic wrap and bromothymol blue.

However, keep in mind that over a long period, plastics can slowly degrade due to exposure to various environmental factors like UV light, heat, or chemicals. In this short-term experiment, this degradation is unlikely to be significant.

If you have specific concerns about the safety or potential interactions between materials, it's always a good practice to consult relevant safety data sheets or conduct a small-scale test before conducting larger experiments.

Answer 2

Bromothymol blue (often mistakenly referred to as "bromathal blue") is a pH indicator. It changes color based on the pH of a solution, transitioning from yellow in acidic conditions (pH < 6.0) to green at neutral pH (around pH 6.0 - 7.6) and then to blue in basic conditions (pH > 7.6).

If you leave plastic wrap in a container with bromothymol blue for four days, a few possible outcomes might occur:

1. **No Reaction**: If the plastic wrap is inert and doesn't leach any chemicals into the solution, there may be no change in the color of the bromothymol blue.

2. **Change in pH**: If the plastic releases any acidic or basic substances into the solution, the color of the bromothymol blue may change accordingly. This could indicate some chemical interaction between the plastic wrap and the solution.

3. **Physical Changes to Plastic Wrap**: Depending on the nature and quality of the plastic wrap, it might become softer, more brittle, or undergo other physical changes if any components of the wrap are affected by the solution.

4. **Color Adhesion**: If the bromothymol blue solution is concentrated, it might stain the plastic wrap, causing it to take on a coloration (blue, green, or yellow depending on pH).

5. **Evaporation**: If the container isn't sealed, some of the solvent (usually water) in the bromothymol blue solution might evaporate over the four days, potentially concentrating the solution.

6. **Contamination**: If the setup isn't sterile, over four days, there's a potential for bacterial or fungal growth, especially if there are any nutrients in the solution. Some microorganisms can alter the pH of their environment, which would be indicated by a color change in the bromothymol blue.

The exact outcome will depend on various factors including the specific type of plastic wrap used, the concentration of the bromothymol blue solution, and the initial pH of the solution. If you're conducting this as an experiment, it would be interesting to observe and note any changes!