Congo Red

Congo red is an organic compound that is an important tool in chemistry and analytical chemistry. It was discovered in 1877 by German chemist Otto Diener and named after the Congo River, which flows through eastern central Africa. Additionally, the term "Congo red" was coined because it was first discovered in the Congo rainforest.

Congo red is a red powder or liquid that is insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents. This compound has a wide range of applications in analytical and test chemistry. It is used to determine the content of copper, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc and other metal ions in various media. It is also used to analyze the quality of water, food and pharmaceuticals.

The most common use of Congo red is to test for copper ions in solution. To do this, Congo red is mixed with acid and placed in a solution containing metal ions. Ammonia is then added to the mixture and a color change occurs. If the color changes from red to blue, this means that the amount of copper ions in this solution is sufficient for Congo staining