WORKING PAPER OF BUFFER SOLUTIONS

GRADE 11

The Applications of Buffer Solutions in Bread and Wine

Industrial Fermentation

By:
Beatricia Audrey Siemon / 2
Kenneshia Aeriel Haryanto / 15
Winston Leonard Prayonggo / 24

ELYON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

SURABAYA
2020
 PREFACE

Our gratitude goes to the presence of God Almighty who has given us His grace and gifts so
that we can complete the paper entitled "The Applications of Buffer Solutions in Bread and
Wine Industrial Fermentation" on time.

This paper contains about the definition of buffer solutions, how buffer solutions work,
fermentation, factors affecting fermentation, and the uses of buffer solutions in fermentation.
It is hoped that this paper will provide information to all of us about the applications of buffer
solutions in fermentation of bread and wine making.

We realize that this paper is far from perfect, therefore criticism and suggestions from all
constructive parties are always expected for the perfection of this paper.

Finally, we would like to thank all those who have participated in the preparation of this
paper from start to finish.

Surabaya, 19 February 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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COVER i
PREFACE ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
LIST OF FIGURES iv
INTRODUCTION 1
HOW BUFFER SOLUTIONS WORK 1
FERMENTATION 2
FACTORS AFFECTING FERMENTATION 3
USES OF BUFFER SOLUTIONS IN FERMENTATION 4
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 5
REFERENCES 6

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. A before and after comparison of bread during fermentation 3

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Figure 2. Yeast in winemaking 3

I. Introduction
A buffer solution is a solution composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base
or a weak base and its conjugate acid. Buffer solutions are able to minimize changes
in concentrations of ions i.e. either H+ ions or OH- ions. This means that buffer

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 solutions have the ability to resist changes in pH, and whose pH is not altered to any
great extent by the addition of small quantities of either strong acid (H + ions) or a
strong base (OH– ions).

A buffer solution’s ability to resist changes in pH makes it one of the most

important types of chemical reagents used in chemical research, biological research
and industrial processes. The fermentation industry is one of the many industrial
processes that relies heavily on buffer solutions. This paper will cover an in depth
analysis of the fermentation industrial process, especially of those in bread and wine
making, and how buffer solutions play an important role in the process.

II. How Buffer Solutions Work

As stated before, a buffer solution is a solution that has the ability to resist
drastic pH changes and is composed of a weak acid/base and its conjugate base/acid.
An example of a buffer solution is an aqueous mixture of ethanoic acid (CH 3COOH)
and sodium ethanoate (CH3COONa). We can understand how a buffer solution works
by referring to the equilibria involved. Ethanoic acid is a weak acid, so it stays mostly
in the un-ionised form (CH3COOH). However, it is able to disassociate and gives rise
to a low concentration of ethanoate ions in solution:

CH3COOH(aq) ↔ H+(aq) + CH3COO–(aq)

Sodium ethanoate is fully ionised in aqueous solution:

CH3COONa (aq) ↔ Na+(aq) + CH3COO–(aq)

The buffer solution contains relatively high concentrations of both CH3COOH

(the weak acid) and CH3COO– (it’s conjugate base). In the buffer solution ethanoic
acid molecules are in equilibrium with hydrogen ions and ethanoate ions:

CH3COOH(aq) ↔ H+(aq) + CH3COO–(aq)

We can use this equation to explain how buffer solutions work. Usually, if we
add H+ ions to water, the pH will decrease drastically. However, if H + ions are added
to the buffer solution above, it will shift the equilibrium of the equation to the left, as
H+ will combine with CH3COO– ions to form more CH3COOH. Large reserve supplies
of both compounds ensures that neither of their concentrations will change
significantly. As a result, the pH of the solution does not change significantly.

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 The same principle applies to the addition of OH - ions. Usually, if OH- ions
are added to water, the pH will increase drastically. However in buffer solutions like
the one above, the OH- ions will react with H+ ions to form water. With a decrease in
H+ ions, equilibrium will shift towards the right, where CH3COOH molecules ionize
to form more H+ and CH3COO– ions. Large reserve supplies of both compounds once
again ensures that neither of their concentrations will change drastically, and a result,
the pH levels would not change drastically.

III. Fermentation

Fermentation is an age-old process that has been used to improve the taste,
texture, color, and sometimes storage capability of food products. Today, the process
is much more refined, but it is still the same in principle. Fermentation in food
processing is the process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids
using microorganisms—yeasts or bacteria—under anaerobic conditions. A few
common foods that undergo fermentation at some point in their production are cheese,
yogurt, wine, cider, beer, bread, sauerkraut, flavorings, candy, and fruit juice.

There are 2 types of fermentation that humans find very beneficial:Lactic acid
fermentation and alcoholic fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation is a process that
occurs as pyruvic acid is changed into lactic acid. Alcoholic fermentation is a reaction
caused by many microorganisms, including yeast, that produces alcohol and carbon
dioxide, and is commonly practiced in the production of wine and bread. The carbon
dioxide gas produced as a result of fermentation is what allows bread to rise. In wine
fermentation, yeast is used to consume the sugars naturally found in grapes to produce
ethanol (the principal ingredient in alcoholic beverages, or usually commonly known
as alcohol). Generally, alcoholic fermentation can be expressed with the following
chemical reaction:

C6H12O6 → 2CO2 + 2C2H5OH

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 Figure 1. A before and after comparison of bread during fermentation

Figure 2. Yeast in winemaking

IV. Factors affecting fermentation

Fermentation is a complex process, with the interaction of several compounds,

microorganisms, and conditions to produce the desired outcome. Any change in the
environment where fermentation is taking place could have a large impact on the
results. Several factors can affect the working environment for the microorganisms

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 and the entire process of fermentation. These factors include the presence of air,
amount of water, temperature, adding salt and sugar, and the pH of its surroundings.

To elaborate further on the last factor, we could use yeast as an example. The
yeast cells used in fermentation can tolerate a pH of 4.0 to 8.5 but work best when the
pH is between 4.0 and 6.0. A higher or lower pH than the pH 4-6 range could kill or
inhibit the growth of yeast. This means that yeast cells require a slightly acidic
environment to do their best fermenting. However, if we recall from the previous
point, one of the products of yeast fermentation was carbon dioxide. Much of the
excess carbon dioxide will bubble off, but there is still carbon dioxide that could
dissolve in water forming carbonic acid. This presence of carbonic acid could lower
the pH of the surroundings of yeast which could kill or inhibit their growth. Aside
from that, as a wine’s pH level drops, it’s taste will become affected as it becomes
more tart and sharp. Because of those particular reasons, bakers, brewers and other
industries relying on fermentation need to be able to resist this acidic change in pH.
This is where the use of buffer solutions come into play.

V. Uses of buffer solutions in fermentation

Fermentation processes in bread making use flour dough and milk act as
buffering agents as they resist the pH drop due to the release of carbon dioxide. Apart
from these natural buffers, some chemical buffers like baking soda (Sodium
bicarbonate NaHCO₃) are also used to maintain pH during the fermentation process
of breadmaking. In wine making, potassium bicarbonate (KHCO 3) is added during
fermentation.

Chemical substances such as NaHCO₃ and KHCO3 are able to act as buffers
because they are salts containing the conjugate base of carbonic acid H 2CO3. As stated
before, a buffer solution is composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base, or a weak
base and its conjugate acid. Carbon dioxide that was a product of alcoholic
fermentation will dissolve in water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3), a weak acid. When
the salts NaHCO₃ and KHCO3 ionize in aqueous form, the conjugate base of carbonic
acid (HCO3-) is present. As a weak acid and its conjugate base are both present, a
buffer solution is formed and the pH of the medium is able to resist any drastic

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 changes. The equation below shows the equilibrium of the buffer system. Refer back
to Part II on how a buffer system works.

H2CO3 (aq) ↔ H+(aq) + HCO3-(aq)

VI. Summary and Conclusion

A buffer solution is a solution composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base, or a
weak base and its conjugate acid. Buffer solutions are able to resist changes in pH by
minimizing changes in concentrations of either H+ ions or OH- ions. Buffer solutions play an
important role in bread and wine industrial fermentation.

Alcohol fermentation is one type of fermentation that humans find beneficial. It is a

reaction caused by many organisms, including yeast, that produces alcohol and carbon
dioxide, and are used in wine and bread making. This is a complex and delicate process,
where several factors can affect the entire process. In the case of yeast, yeast cells can work
when the pH is between 4.0 to 8.5 and works best when the pH is around 4.0 and 6.0.
However, the production of carbon dioxide in this process can lower the pH and kill or inhibit
the yeast. In the case of wine, the taste will be affected when the pH drops. This is why buffer
solutions are needed in bread and wine making.

The fermentation process in bread making uses flour and milk that acts as buffering
agents, as well as chemical buffers like baking soda (NaHCO 3). The fermentation process in
wine making uses potassium bicarbonate (KHCO 3) as buffering agents. These chemicals are
able to act as buffers because they are salts containing the conjugate base of H 2CO3, which is
a weak acid produced in fermentation.

To conclude, buffer solutions are helpful in the fermentation process of bread and
wine by minimizing changes in pH and maintaining the sensitive conditions of fermentation.

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VII. References

Clark, J. (2016), Buffer Solutions, chemguide.co.uk [online]. Available at:

https://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/buffers.html
[Accessed 19 February 2021]

CAERT, Inc. (2006), pH and Fermentation, AgEdLibrary.com [online]. Available at:

http://agriculturewithmrsskien.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/3/2/21329554/
ph_and_fermentation.pdf [Accessed 19 February 2021]

ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in. (2012), Physical Chemistry of Milk: Lesson 24.

BUFFERING CAPACITY AND BUFFERING INDEX [online]. Available at:
http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=91080
[Accessed 19 February 2021]

Lanecc.edu. (2010), Chemical Buffer Systems and Acid-Base Balance [online].

Available at:
https://media.lanecc.edu/users/driscolln/RT127/Softchalk/Acid_Base_
Lesson/Acid_Base_Lesson4.html [Accessed 19 February 2021]

Lumenlearning.com. (2013). Buffer Solutions | Boundless Chemistry [online].

Available at:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-chemistry/chapter/buffer-
solutions/ [Accessed 19 February 2021]

Ryan, L., Norris, R. (2014), Cambridge International AS and A level Chemistry

Coursebook Second Edition, Cambridge University Press

Sciencing. (2009). What Are Buffer Solutions Used In? [online]. Available at:
https://sciencing.com/what-buffer-solutions-used-4912029.html
[Accessed 19 February 2021]

Sensorex (2017), Improving the Taste and Color of Wine with pH Control [online].
Available at:
https://sensorex.com/blog/2017/12/06/ph-improve-taste-color-wine
[Accessed 19 February 2021]

The sodium bicarbonate-carbon dioxide system-57 (2014), ATCC | Credible Leads to

Incredible [online]. Available at:

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https://www.atcc.org/Global/FAQs/5/F/The%20sodium
%20bicarbonate-carbon%20dioxide%20system-57.aspx [Accessed 19
February 2021]

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