DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2016.v04i01.008

Pages: 45-55

This study aimed to prepare paper strips from four common cultivars of banana (Musa spp. namely: lakatan, latundan, sabapahaba and sabapabilog) bract extract as pH indicator using three methods of extraction namely; Manual, Soxhlet and Rotary Evaporator to act as potential alternative pH indicator. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: (1) Which among the banana bract cultivar extract paper strips and methods of extraction show the best color reaction as pH indicator; (2) What is the stability of the four banana bract cultivar extracts and methods of extraction as pH indicator in terms of: a. Shelf-life at room temperature and, b. Shelf-life at refrigeration temperature; (3) How does the banana bract cultivar extract paper strips compare with pH meter and commercial pH strips (Multistix) in terms of determining the pH of urine samples? And; (4) is there a significant difference between the banana bract cultivar extract paper strips and pH meter or commercial pH strips (Multistix) in terms of determining the pH of urine samples? The study consisted of three phases: Phase 1. Preparation and Determination of Banana Bract Extract Paper Strip as pH Indicator; Phase 2.Stability of the Banana Bract Extract Paper Strip pH Indicator at Room and Refrigeration Temperature. And Phase 3.Comparison of the Banana Bract Extract Paper Strip as Urine pH Indicator with pH Meter and Commercial Urine Strips (Multistix). Result of the study showed that Lacatan (Barangan) bract extract paper strips processed by Rotary Evaporator method and stored at room temperature gave the best color reaction as pH indicator. Furthermore, it was comparable with pH meter and commercial urine pH strips (Multistix) in determining the pH of urine samples.