Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Detect Chemicals in a Solution in Saliva

The human body contains a wide variety of chemicals internally manufactured daily. You can detect the presence of chemicals in your saliva by focusing in on their acidic properties. A detection strip must be used and can be purchase from a hobby shop or found in a chemistry kit. No special equipment is needed, nor must any precautions be taken as the process is harmless.

Things You'll Need

4 inch square plastic container
Dishwashing liquid
Paper towel
Pink pH paper
Blue pH paper

Instructions

- 1
  Wash a plastic container with dishwashing liquid and tap water. Let the container air dry.
- 2
  Roll your tongue around inside your mouth to generate saliva. Continue doing this until a fair amount of saliva has been generated. Bring the open end of the container up to your mouth. Spit the saliva into the plastic container. Place the container on a table. Wipe your mouth with a paper towel.
- 3
  Grip an end of the pink Litmus paper in your left hand and the end of the blue Litmus paper in your right. Hold the two Litmus papers so their free ends point straight down.
- 4
  Insert both of the Litmus papers halfway into the saliva solution in the container. Hold the two Litmus papers inside the solution for 10 seconds before lifting them out from inside the container. Hold the two papers over the container so any dripping goes back into it.
- 5
  Look at the pink Litmus paper in your left hand. See if the wet end has changed color and is now blue to indicate the chemicals in your saliva are ̶0;base.̶1; Look at the blue Litmus paper in your other hand. See if it has changed color to pink to indicate that the chemicals in your saliva are "acidic." Dispose of the papers in the trash. Wash out the container.

Science