Greening the Blue Bottle

Demonstrating the classic "blue bottle" chemical demonstration, as well as a new version from a paper I read. The new version uses completely different chemistry to achieve the same effect as the classic version, and is "green" in the sense that it is more environmentally friendly.

The paper:
"Greening the Blue Bottle", Whitney E. Wellman and Mark E. Noble

Freely downloaded and used under the CC BY-NC 3.0 US license. This work is NOT primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation, and thus does not violate the non-commercial clause.

[thethoughtemporium]

Oh hey cool to see a new video!

Not sure the new version is really that much more environmentally friendly. Definitely less caustic, but I think the addition of the copper makes it worse than having a bit of hydroxide in the classic one. Considering the dye is the least environmentally friendly piece of the whole thing and it stays constant I'd say it's a solid draw. Very cool to see new chemistry employed to do the same job though! And the new one is a hair easier to source ingredients for but not by much considering it is more ingredients. Not in the age of amazon anyway. Great video :)

[johnathancorgan]

Some subscriptions are worth hanging on to "just in case". Glad to see something new from you, thanks!

[dolotonightshorts]

Holy moly hes back!!! Plz make more we still love u

[TheAmmoniacal]

If you added a bit of oil to the flask, would that reduce oxygen diffusion and stop the blue ring from forming?

[Ralphgtx]

if the reaction is oxidizing the methylene blue than the time to oxidize or reduce all the metheylene blue would be somewhat dependent on the amount of it. I'd be interested to see if the reaction rates were different if you made a stock solution of the methyelene blue and put say 1 drop in one and 2 drops in the other.

[MethodicalMaker]

Thanks for the new video!!! during full blue is the newer solution less opaque? it seemed like that but i couldn't tell if it was due to the lighting angle.

[DancingRain]

On one hand, I'm tempted to try this. On the other, there are days where I would waste hours shaking the bottle and watching it change colors.

[garycard]

I wonder: if you flushed out the air in the headspace and replace with pure oxygen, how will it affect the reaction?

[stikmanultra]

if u open up the bottle, can you "revive" the solution adding more oxygen? or it won't work?

[TheCaphits]

How is sodium hydroxide and glucose *not* green? Hydroxide is easy to dispose of properly, and you can eat glucose.

[morlanius]

How is using copper sulphate greener than using sodium hydroxide?

[nievalesterloydp.]

I've used glucose syrup and mixedbiy with the caustic soda, I am wondering why it turns green in color

[killmimes]

Come for the chemical reactions, stays for the 70s cop show music!

[Richard.Andersson]

I strongly disagree that this new recipe is more enviorrnmentally friendly and easier to source chemicals. Sodium hydroxide and glucose can be bought in any grocery store and is completely non-toxic and can be pored down the drain (although in concentrated solution is corrosive). Cupper sulfate is toxic and allergenic, and should not be poured down the drain. Additionally I wouldn't even know where to source it locally without going to specialized stores och ordering online.

[ibdude]

I am from the school you went on Friday