Chemistry · Level 2 · Intermediate
Effect of Water Hardness on Catechin and Caffeine Content in Green Tea Infusions
Cabrera M, Taher F, Llantada A, et al. (2021). Molecules. doi:10.3390/molecules26123485 · CC BY 4.0
Step 1 of 2Read the paper
This study asked whether the hardness of the water you brew with changes how much catechin (antioxidant) and caffeine ends up in a cup of green tea. Supermarket teabags were brewed in synthetic waters from very soft to very hard, plus control solutions, and the tea was analysed by HPLC, UV/Vis browning and pH, with one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests.
How to read it
- Read the last paragraph of the Introduction for the aim and the brewing conditions they chose.
- Tables 3 and 4 describe the waters; check which ingredients change together across the hardness series.
- Figure 3 is the main hardness result; the letters above the bars show which means differ significantly.
- Section 2.4 and Figure 5 use control solutions to separate the effect of bicarbonate from the effect of mineral salts.
Step 2 of 2Take the test
15 questions · about 40 minutes including reading · pick an answer to see straight away if it’s right. Nothing is saved.
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Paper: Cabrera M, Taher F, Llantada A, et al., Molecules (2021), licensed CC BY 4.0. Summary and questions are Research Nest’s own; read the original for the full study.