Buffers

An Application of Acids and Bases

 Water

• Pure water contains H2O, H3O+ and OH-

• At 25ºC the autoionization of water occurs where 2 water molecules react with each
other
• Roughly 2 in every 550 million H2O molecules react with each other
• H2O (l) + H2O (l)  H3O+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
hydronium ion hydroxide ion
• Pure water contains equal numbers of H3O+ and OH- ions, therefore it is NEUTRAL
The Autoionization of Water
 Acids
• Substances that increase the concentration of H3O+(aq) ions when dissolved
in water and contain at least one ionisable hydrogen atom in their chemical
structure
• Sour; conducts electricity; pH < 7; litmus paper turns red

HCl (aq) + H2O (l)  H3O+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

 Bases
• Substances that increase the concentration of OH- (aq) ions in solution
• Bitter; slippery; conducts electricity; pH > 7; litmus paper turns blue

a. Some bases containing the OH- group dissociate in water to produce OH- directly
NaOH (aq)  Na+(aq) + OH- (aq)

b. Some bases combine with an H+(aq) ion from H2O (l) resulting in a OH- ion being
produced
NH3 (aq) + H2O (l)  NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
 Neutralization Reaction
• When an acid and a base mix, the products are a salt and water
HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq)  H2O (l) + NaCl (aq)
• The acidity of an aqueous solution is expressed in terms of hydronium ion
concentration, [H3O+ (aq)]
• The pH scale is a convenient way to express the [H3O+ (aq)].
• pH 7 = neutral = a balance of H3O+(aq) and OH-(aq) ions
• pH<7 = acidic = more H3O+(aq) than OH-(aq) ions
• pH>7 = basic = more OH-(aq) than H3O+(aq) ions
 pH Scale
• The [H30+] compared to the [OH-] ions determines the acidity
• pH scale – logarithmic scale
 Ionization in Water
• Acids and bases may be
classified as strong or weak
according to the degree to
which they ionize when
dissolved in water
 Strong Acids & Bases
• Strong acids (ex. HCl) and strong bases (ex. NaOH) ionize completely
when dissolved in water
100%
HCl(aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

100%
NaOH(aq) Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
 Weak Acids & Bases
• Weak acids (ex. CH3COOH) and weak bases (ex. NH3) ionize partially in
water
CH3COOH (aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)

NH3(aq) + H2O(l) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)

• The forward and reverse reactions eventually becomes equal and the solution
is then in a state of equilibrium (thus the double arrows)
• At equilibrium, the forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates and the
concentration of all entities in the solution remain constant
 Conjugate Acids & Bases
• An Acid = a proton donor
• A Base = a proton acceptor
• Reversible acid-base reactions involve the transfer of a proton

CH3COOH (aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)

acid base conjugate acid conjugate base

• Acetic acid and acetate; hydronium ions and water = conjugate acid-base pairs
 Acid-Base Buffers

• Living cells and the internal environment of organisms are sensitive to pH

levels
• Chemical reactions within cells normally produce acids and bases that have
the potential to seriously disrupt function
• Many of the foods we consume are acidic – absorbing these acids could
affect the pH balance of blood
 Your Blood…
• Operates best at a pH of 7.4 (acceptable blood pH range: 7.35 to 7.45)

• When the pH of your blood drops:

• H3O+ ions are able to do irregular things like bond to items (e.g. enzymes), impairing
proper functioning

• When the pH of your blood increases:

• OH- ions are able to do irregular thing like vasoconstriction

• So how does your body maintain this optimal pH range?

 Buffers
• Buffers: A chemical system that compensates for pH changes in a solution by
accepting or donating H+ ions.

• Many buffers are weak acids/bases or both because they will dissociate in
a reversible reaction in water (therefore, absorbing or releasing H+ or
OH- as necessary.

• Buffers usually consist of conjugate acid-base pairs in equilibrium

Carbonic Acid – Bicarbonate Ion Buffer
• The most important buffer in the human body (both in blood and extracellular
fluid) is the CARBONIC ACID - BICARBONATE BUFFER
• Carbonic acid – ACID & Bicarbonate – BASE
H2O(l) + CO2 (aq) H2CO3(aq) HCO3-(aq) + H+(aq)
water carbon carbonic bicarbonate hydrogen
dioxide acid ion ion

carbonic acid / bicarbonate ion buffer

Carbonic Acid – Bicarbonate Ion Buffer
• The KEY here is that:
• Humans have the ability to control the amount of CO2 in their body
through breathing
 How it works…
H2O + CO2 → H2CO3 → HCO3- + H+

Items in brown - PART OF THE BUFFER

1. We ingest an acid, lowering the bodies’ pH
2. More H2CO3 is made to maintain equilibrium:
i.e. H2O + CO2 → H2CO3 → HCO3- + H+
3. a) H2CO3 is a weak acid, raising the pH
b) i) H2CO3 is converted to H2O + CO2
ii) This CO2 is expelled from the body, so the body is forced to convert MORE
H2CO3 to H2O + CO2 to maintain equilibrium; this raises the pH even more
 In the blood:
• Entry of an acid (will add H+ ions) = bicarbonate ions react with H+ ions to produce
carbonic acid
• Entry of a base (will remove H+ ions) = carbonic acid ionizes to replace missing H+
ions
• This buffer helps to maintain the pH of blood at 7.4 as blood pH ranges from 7.35 to
7.45
• An increase or decrease in blood pH of 0.2 to 0.4 pH units is fatal if not
treated immediately
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJZL9CzD2M8
 Acidosis
pH<7.35
• Occurs when the body produces too much acid, or the kidneys & lungs are not removing acids from
our body - Two types: Respiratory and Metabolic
• Respiratory: refers to any condition that affects the proper functioning of the lungs or causes
prolonged hypoventilation
• Can be caused by chronic lung disease, high doses of narcotics, and injury to the medulla
oblongata
• Metabolic: refers to any decrease in pH not caused by a respiratory condition
• Can be caused by uncontrolled diabetes, prolonged vomiting of intestinal contents, and severe
diarrhea
• Symptoms include: disorientation; fatigue
 Alkalosis
pH>7.45
• Occurs when there is an increase in bicarbonate (HCO3-) concentration.
• Two types: Respiratory and Metabolic
• Respiratory: refers to any condition that affects the proper functioning of the lungs or
hyperventilation
• Decreased respiratory activity can be caused by breathing too quickly at high altitudes;
anxiety; and aspirin poisoning
• Metabolic: refers to any increase in pH not caused by a respiratory condition
• Can be caused by taking too many antacids and persistent vomiting
• Symptoms include: dizziness; agitation