Measuring the changes in the pH of gastrointestinal fluids after the neutralization

effects of different antacids

Personal Engagement

According to the American College of gastroenterology, more than 60 million people in

America suffer from heartburn, and in Colombia, approximately 12% of the population
suffers from heartburn. There are many medications that can help with this condition
and some even prevent it, but in the market there are several brands which make it
difficult to find the correct one to fight acidosis properly.

In my family, there are backgrounds that indicate that I might suffer from heartburns in
the future. Most members of my father-related side of the family suffer from it and my
mother also has symptoms now and then. Heartburns cause a sense of burning in the
back of the chest and throat, and are very uncomfortable. That is why I wanted to find
out if the antacid medication really has a neutralizing effect on the acids in the stomach,
and if so, which of the local brands that offer this product works the best as I feel that
some antacids work better than others. That is why I will analyze the relationship
between different volumes of antacid consumed and the concentration of free
hydroxide ions in the gastrointestinal fluids, by using an artificial stomach.

Exploration

Background information
Heartburns are physical phenomena in which the stomach acid or the gastrointestinal
fluids return to the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the throat (“ERGE -
American College of Gastroenterology,” 2011). Since millions of people suffer from this
condition, sometimes with daily symptoms, there are several medicines that have been
developed to neutralize the acidity of the gastrointestinal fluids.

Antacids are composed of a series of basic compounds such as magnesium hydroxide,

calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or aluminium hydroxide. The liquid antacids are
prefered as short term solutions due to their faster reaction that can last up to 3 hours,
that is why for purposes of the investigation these kinds of antacids were used.
Antacids containing aluminium or magnesium are prefered over the ones using calcium
carbonate because of its demonstrated secondary long term effects, which can
increase later on the gastric acidity (“Antacid | medicine | Britannica,” 2021).

For my investigation I used two different brands of liquid antacids to analyze their
immediate neutralizing effect in recrated gastrointestinal fluids. The first brand called
Gaviscon is composed of sodium bicarbonate (267 mg), calcium carbonate (160 mg)
and sodium alginate (500 mg), taking into account that each packet contains 10
mL(agencia española de medicamentos y productos sanitarios, 2011). The second
one, called Milpax, contains Sodium bicarbonate (267 mg) and sodium alginate (250
mg), taking into account that each packet contains 10 mL (“MILPAX - PLM,” 2021)

To find the neutralizing effect, recreation of the gastrointestinal fluids found in the
stomach was required. The investigation showed the kind of acids and other chemicals
that form these fluids and their concentration, and because some of them are
prohibited in Colombia (like the hydrochloric acid) the acid needed to be found in a
different concentration.

To measure the pH I found that the easier and more accessible method was to use a
pH meter. This kind of pH tester measures the hydrogen ion activity in the
solutions(“pH Meter - Instrument - Holme Research Group - Iowa State University,”
2021). When a solution has a greater activity of hydrogen ions the solution is acidic,
while a solution with greater hydroxide ions activity is a basic one (Hanna Instruments,
2019). This is why after measuring the gastrointestinal fluids they should have a pH
between 3.5 and 4, and the antacids should be a basic solution.

Research question
Which is the relationship between different volumes of antacid consumed and the
concentration of free hydroxide ions in the gastrointestinal fluids, by using an artificial
stomach?

Objective
Measure the neutralizing effect of antacids medications at the acidity levels of the
gastrointestinal fluids using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Hypothesis
The antacids will have different neutralizing effects and the change in the pH will be
minimal, so there will be a neutralizing effect but the sample will still be acidic. The
brand may also affect the results, meaning that one brand may be more effective than
the other, taking into account the ingredients listed. Gaviscon may have a faster
reaction because of its compounds, such as carbonates, but achieve equilibrium faster
than milpax.

Variables:
Table 1. Variables table for the investigation.

Variable Type of variable Units way to measure it or

control it

Volume of antacid Independent Cubic I will use the method of

added centimeters titration to pour from 0.10
(cm3) cm3 to 1.00 cm3of antacid,
adding 0.10 cm3 at a time.

Concentration of Dependent mol dm-3 Depending on the quantity

Hydroxide ions of antacid added the pH of
present in the the gastrointestinal fluids
solution may vary. I will measure
the pH of the solution
everytime a 0.10 cm3 is
added. Afterwards the
theoretical value of
hydroxides present in the
solution will be calculated
using stoichiometry. The
experiment will have 3
trials for each brand.

Initial pH of the controlled none The pH of the sample will

artificial stomach always be 4 to have an
solution accurate representation of
the gastrointestinal fluids
in its natural state, and the
 acidity that the antacids
will have to neutralize in a
normal environment.

Volume of the controlled Cubic To ensure the same

gastrointestinal centimeters concentration of antacids
fluids (cm3) in the gastrointestinal
fluids solution, they were
always dissolved in a
sample of 250cm3
approximately

Temperature controlled Celsius The temperature will

(°C) always be room
temperature (14°C) for the
optimal dissolution of the
antacids.

Methods and materials:

Table 2. Table of materials used for the investigation

Materials Quantity Uncertainty

Beaker (250 mL) 1 ± 10 mL

Beaker (500 mL) 1 ± 20 mL

burette 1 ± 0.05 mL

universal stand 1 none

clamp 1 none

pH meter 1 ± 0.1

petri dish 2 none

glass rot 1 none

pipette 1 ± 0.1 cm3

spatula 1 none

dropper 1 none

Analytical balance 1 ± 0.01 g

Water bottle 1 none

Graduated cylinder 2 ± 1.6 cm3

pipette vacuum 1 none

 Table 3. Table of Reagents used in the investigation

Reactants Amount of concentration

Hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) (25%) with a density of 1.14g/cm3

Sodium Chloride pure

Distilled water pure

Procedure:
For the preparation of 250 cm3 of a dissolution 0.1 mol dm-3 and from a 25% HCl and a
density of 1.18 g/cm3
1) Calculate the molarity
2) Calculate the number of moles of HCl needed for the diluted dissolution
3) Calculate the volume of the needed reagent
4) Measure 240 cm3 of distilled water in a graduated cylinder
5) pour it into a 500 cm3 beaker
6) Measure 8 cm3 of distilled water in a pipette with the help of a vacuum pipette
7) Pour it in the same beaker
8) Measure 3.1 cm3 of HCl in a pipette with the help of a pipette vacuum
9) Pour the HCl reagent in 248 cm3 of distilled water on a beaker
10) Mix with a glass stirring rod

For the preparation of the gastrointestinal fluids

1) With a graduated cylinder measure 250 cm3 of distilled water and pour it into a
beaker
2) In an analytical balance measure 1.4 grams of the solution of Hydrochloric acid
in a petri dish pouring it with a dropper
3) Add the hydrochloric acid to the beaker that contains the distilled water. With
this process, we will ensure that the concentration of hydrochloric acid on the
“gastrointestinal fluids” is about 0.155 Molar
4) Measure 1.25 grams of potassium chloride in an analytical balance in a petri
dish with the help of a spatula
5) Add the potassium chloride to the beaker
6) Mix it with a glass rod
7) Measure the pH with a to assure that is between 3.8 and 4.0

For the calibration of the pH meter

1) Pour 20 cm3 of buffer solution pH 10.00 in a 100 cm3 beaker
2) Pour 20 cm3 of buffer solution pH 7.00 in a 100 cm3 beaker
3) Pour 20 cm3 of buffer solution pH 4.00 in a 100 cm3 beaker
4) Put the pH meter in the function CAL
5) Immers the pH meter in the solution that its indicated on the screen
6) Wash the pH meter and clean the electrode

Method to measure the change in pH of the gastrointestinal fluids by adding antacids

1) Measure the pH in the gastrointestinal fluids with a pH meter
2) Pour the antacids in a burette located in a universal stand
3) Add 0.1 cm3 of the antacids medication to the gastrointestinal fluids
4) Mix with a glass rod until its a homogeneous mixture
5) Measure the pH of the gastrointestinal fluids
 6) Clean the pH meter with a bottle filled with distilled water
7) Repeat step 3, 4, and 5 until you complete 1 cm3

Repeat the same process for the other antacid

Safety and environmental considerations:

Table 4. Table of Safety considerations taken in the practical

Reagent Safety Considerations

Potassium Chloride skin irritation, eyes irritation, may be

harmful if swallowed, toxic to terrestrial
vertebrates.

Hydrochloric acid Serious eye damage, corrosive to metals,

skin corrosion, may cause respiratory
irritation, specific target organ toxicity
following single exposure.

Environmental considerations
All reagents were disposed of on a separate tank rather than the sink to avoid the
pollution of the environment.

Ethical considerations
no animals or humans were used in this experiment. The gastrointestinal fluids were
recreated in a lab. There were no ethical considerations.

Set up:
Figure 1. Calibration of the pH meter
Figure 2. Setup of the titration with the antacids

Figure 3. Measuring the pH

Results:
Raw data
Table 5. Results of experimentation with Gaviscon.

GAVISCON

Vol. Antacid pH + 0.1

± 0.05 cm3 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
0,00 4,0 4,0 3,9
0,10 4,8 5,6 5,4
0,20 6,2 6,6 6,1
0,30 6,7 6,7 6,6
0,40 7,1 6,8 7,0
0,50 7,6 7,5 7,2
0,60 7,7 7,7 7,7
0,70 8,1 8,0 7,8
0,80 8,3 8,0 8,0
0,90 8,4 8,2 8,2
1,00 8,4 8,4 8,4

Table 6. Results of experimentation with Milpax.

MILPAX

Vol. Antacid pH ± 0.1

± 0.05 cm3 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
0,00 3,9 4,0 4,0
0,10 5,5 5,7 5,4
0,20 6,2 6,3 6,3
0,30 6,5 6,6 6,8
0,40 6,8 6,9 6,6
0,50 7,1 7,1 7,2
0,60 7,3 7,3 7,5
0,70 7,5 7,7 7,8
0,80 7,7 8,0 8,2
0,90 8,0 8,2 8,4
1,00 8,3 8,4 8,4
Qualitative observations:
1. Everytime the antacid was added it formed spherical drops on the solution and
it took about two to three minutes to get completely dissolved in the
gastrointestinal fluids.
2. As more volume of antacid was added to the gastrointestinal fluids the color of
the solution changed from transparent to white.
3. When adding the antacid to the gastrointestinal fluids the texture of the solution
changed as it looked rough and opaque.
Processed data:
With these results the concentration of hydroxide ions could now be found. For this
there are several steps that had to be done. To show them, the sample with 0.10 cm3
of antacid added will be used as an example. First the average pH of the 3 trials was
found to use it as a starting point that best reflects the variations in the pH. For this, the
3 values were added and that result is divided by three (as shown in the following
equation).
(𝑡1+𝑡2+𝑡3)
3

with the data it is represented as:

4+4+3,9
3
= 3. 966

After that i had to find the 𝑝𝑂𝐻 with the following formula:

𝑝𝐻 + 𝑝𝑂𝐻 = 14

𝑝𝑂𝐻 = 14 − 𝑝𝐻
It’s represented with the data as:
𝑝𝑂𝐻 = 14 −3.966

𝑝𝑂𝐻 = 10.033
− −𝑝𝑂𝐻
Then, to find the[𝑂𝐻 ]I used the formula 10
− −10.033
[𝑂𝐻 ]=10
−
[𝑂𝐻 ]= 9,3x10-11
With this process, the concentration of hydroxide ions was found when 0.10 cm3 of
antacids are added to the gastrointestinal fluids, therefore it was repeated with the rest
of the data.
To calculate the uncertainties I divided the amount of antacid added (0,10 cm3) over the
pOH. Then I multiplied the concentration of Hydroxide ions with the percentage
uncertainty. The process will be represented with the pure sample, but the process was
repeated with every volume added:
0,10
% uncertainty= 10,0

% uncertainty= 1%
 −11
uncertainty= (9, 3 × 10 ) × (0, 01)
−13
uncertainty= 9, 3 × 10
Given this calculation they will be represented in the following table for all the volumes
of antacid added.
Table 7.Processed data of gaviscon.

Table 8. processed data of Milpax.

 Graph 1. Concentration of hydroxides present in the artificial stomach by adding antacids.

Conclusions:
The relationship between the volume of antacid added and the gastrointestinal fluids
follows a quadratic relationship, meaning that every cubic centimeter of acid added
increases the concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution by a square factor. This
can be observed for both brands of antacids used. In graph 1 it can be observed that
the brand Gaviscon has a higher slope in comparison to Milpax, specially for the
volume of antacid ranging from 0.20 to 1.00 cm3, this shows that the brand Gaviscon
has a greater neutralizing capacity.

Each brand of antacid has different compounds and quantities (which can be consulted
in the background information) given this, its neutralizing effect can change. Due to the
fact that Gaviscon has a greater neutralizing capacity, It can be observed that the
carbonates (which are only present in gaviscon) contribute to increase the neutralizing
capacity of the antacid. This is because of its facility at neutralizing hydrochloric acid.
This is represented in graph 1 as Gaviscon can release a higher quantity of hydroxide
ions with less quantity of product.

There is an evident relationship between the volume of antacid used and the pH of the
gastrointestinal fluids. At the beginning the variations in the level of pH with a small
amount of antacid added is notorious. With both brands, after the first 0.10 cm3 were
added, the pH incremented an average of 1.4 units. The more volume of antacid is
added, the less acid the gastrointestinal fluids become, and more concentrated the OH-
ions are. That is why I can conclude that the research question can be answered
successfully.
The hypothesis was accurate in certain aspects. The components or ingredients of the
antacid affects its neutralizing effect and rate of reaction. Gaviscon due to its
ingredients has a greater neutralizing effect than Milpax because of its carbonates , as
predicted. On the other hand, the neutralizing effect was significant, the pH changed
from acid to basic, showing that these antacids are effective.
Evaluation:
Factor
An increase in the
temperature of the artificial
gastrointestinal fluids
Usage of muriatic acid
instead of hydrochloric
acid
No using a mixture of
acids such as nitric acid
with hydrochloric acid
References:
Table 9. Evaluation.
How it affected the result
Given that the experiment
was performed at the
room temperature (18°C),
the antacid did not
dissolve fully in the
gastrointestinal fluids,
affecting the pH reading. A
human stomach usually
works at a temperature of
37°C. If this one is a
different temperature the
dissociation of the acid
could be full. Meanwhile at
lower temperature its
acidity constant could
lower down, having
smaller dissociation and a
lower acidity.
By using this acid rather
than the hydrochloric acid
could contribute to some
impurities during the
neutralization with the
antacids. Which can cause
a lower reaction yield
between the acid and the
antacid.
A real stomach is
composed of a mixture of
acids rather than just a
single acid. In this case
the neutralization was
made only with
hydrochloric acid coming
from muriatic acid. This
could have affected the
experiment as the
stomach by having a
mixture of acids could
have an interaction with
the anions coming from
the nitric acid which was
not considered in this
experiment.
Improvement
Heating the
gastrointestinal fluids to
simulate the temperature
under physiological
conditions of the stomach
(37°C). This will help for
the better dissolution of
the antacid in the
gastrointestinal fluids and
guarantee the
physiological conditions at
which the stomach has is
optimal acidity.
Use solutions of
hydrochloric acid rather
than dilutions of muriatic
acid while preparing the
artificial stomach.
Prepare a mixture with
hydrochloric acid and nitric
acid to simulate more
accurately the artificial
stomach with the real one.
Making sure that the
concentrations of
hydrochloric acid and nitric
acid are the same as the
ones in the stomach.
ERGE - American College of Gastroenterology. (2011). Retrieved March 25, 2021, from American

College of Gastroenterology website: https://gi.org/patients/recursos-en-espanol/erge/

BBC news. (2018, August 19). La verdad sobre los remedios para la acidez estomacal - BBC

News Mundo. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from BBC News Mundo website:

https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-45190715

Rafael Silva García. (2015). Preparación de una disolución 0.1M y 0.1N de HCl [YouTube Video].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gve6sHvb4io

Universidad distrital Francisco José de caldas. (n.d). ÁCIDO MURIÁTICO - Especificaciones

Técnicas para Construcción de Viviendas. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from Google.com

website:https://sites.google.com/a/correo.udistrital.edu.co/manualviviendas/3-especificacio

nes-de-materiales/accesorios-1/acido-muriatico

Khan Academy. (2015). Introducción a la titulación (video) | Khan Academy. Retrieved March 25,

2021, from Khan Academy website:

https://es.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry/acid-base-equilibrium/titrations/v/titration-intr

oduction

MILPAX - PLM. (2021). Retrieved April 8, 2021, from Medicamentosplm.com website:

https://www.medicamentosplm.com/ecuador/Home/productos/milpax_suspension/1087/101

/34484/194

pH Meter - Instrument - Holme Research Group - Iowa State University. (2021). Retrieved April 8,

2021, from Iastate.edu website:

https://group.chem.iastate.edu/Holme/augmented-reality-in-educational-laboratories/ph-met

er/

FICHA TECNICA GAVISCON SUSPENSION ORAL EN SOBRES SABOR MENTA. (2011).

Retrieved April 8, 2021, from Aemps.es website:

https://cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtcm3/ft/74728/FT_74728.html

Antacid | medicine | Britannica. (2021). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/science/antacid

. (n.d.). Safety Data Sheet. Retrieved from

https://beta-static.fishersci.com/content/dam/fishersci/en_US/documents/programs/educatio

n/regulatory-documents/sds/chemicals/chemicals-h/S25358.pdf

. (n.d.). Safety Data Sheet Potassium Chloride, Reagent. Retrieved from

https://biotech.bio5.org/sites/default/files/msds.potassium_chloride.pdf