Acetone, ethanol, hydrochloric acid, potassium ferrocyanide, ferric chloride, ammonium thiocyanate, phytin phosphorus, methyl orange indicator, potassium permagnate, alkaline picrate, diethyl ether, n-butanal and sodium chloride reagents of analytical grade procured from Nice Chemicals (Kochi), SRL Chemicals (Chennai) and Sigma-Aldrich, India were used for the study.