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Ch. 13 pH and Titratable Acidity

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 The confusing concentration units

• Percentage
– % (w/w)
20 g sucrose + 80 g water → 20% (w/w)
– % (w/ v)
20 g sucrose in 100 mL solution → 20% (w/v)
– % (v/v)
50 mL alcohol in 100 mL solution → 50% (v/v)

50 mL alcohol + 50 mL water ≠ 100 mL

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 Dimensionless quantity
• parts per million (ppm)
• parts per billion (ppb)
Pure numbers without associated units of
measurement, are the result of unit cancellation !

100 mg/1 kg = 100 mg/1000,000 mg = 100 ppm

In diluted water solution, the density is about 1 g/mL

ppm = µg solute/ ml of solution = µg solute/ g of solution

Not applicable to other non-aqueous solution

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 Gold standard with less confusion

• International System of Units (SI)

– http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/index.html

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 Molarity and normality

• Molarity = moles/L (SI unit)

• Normality = equivalents/L
– Useful in titration
– Not a SI unit
– Equivalent of a compound depends on a specific
reaction

Learn more on your problem solving part III

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 Strong acid and alkaline

– 1M
1
NaOH = ___ N NaOH (Sodium hydroxide)
– 1M 2 N HCl (hydrochloric acid)
HCl= ___
– 1M 2 N H2SO4 (Sulfuric acid)
H2SO4 = ___
– 1M 3 N H3PO4 (phosphoric acid)
H3PO4 = ___
 Weak acids in food
COOH
HO COOH COOH COOH
HO COOH HO
HO COOH HO COOH CH3

COOH

Citric acid Tartaric acid Malic acid Lactic acid

3 COOH 2 COOH 2 COOH 1 COOH

1M=3N 1M=2N 1M= N 1 M= N

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 The Seesaw in water

[H+][OH–]= 10-14
Kw (25oC)

Acidic H+ > OH–

Neutral H = OH
+ – OH-

H+
Alkaline H < OH
+ –
 The power of Hydrogen (pH)

• pH = -log of [H+] OR log of 1/ [H+]. (Table 13-3)

• [H3O+] = 2.24 × 10-3 M. What is the pH? (2.65)

• pH = 5.50. What is the [H3O+] ? (3.16 × 10-6 M)

• What is the magnitude of difference between:

– pH 4 and pH 6 ?
– pH 2 and pH 7? 100×
– pH 1 and pH 9? 100,000 ×
100,000,000 ×
 Acid

Neutral

Alkaline
 Ch. 13 pH and Titratable Acidity (TA)
• Food Chemistry 101: What is the difference between pH and TA?

Decrease or increase High or low

• As pH increases the TA ________.

• As pH decreases the TA ________.
• As H+ increase the pH ________.
• As H+ decrease the pH ________.
• High acid foods have a ____ pH?
• Low acid foods have a ____ pH?
 pH meter: pH measurement for dummies
1. A landmark invention in chemistry
• 1936 by Dr. Arnold O. Beckman
2. Comes in all shape, size, and price
3. Calibrate periodically with
commercial pH calibration solutions
 Antique pH meters
Mechanism: Potentiometry
(Figure 13-1; pp. 212-215)
1. Reference electrode
2. Indicator (Glass) electrode

Beckman's first pH meter Beckman's Model G pH meter

 Modern pH meters
• Combine reference, indicator, and temperature sensing
in one electrode
• Cover pH range 0-11 and auto-correction for
temperature up to 50°C

• How does temperature affect pH?

What is the pH of pure water at 25°C?
The pH of pure water at 50°C is 6.6.
The pH of pure water at 0°C is 7.5
Kw increases with temperature
Kw increases, [H+] pH
 Dissociation of weak acid in water
HA↔ H+ + A–
 HA is the undissociated acid
 A- is the conjugate base

Acid dissociation constant

pKa = -log Ka pH = - log [H+]

pH = pKa + log ([A–]/[HA]) Eq. 13, page 216

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 Henderson Hasselbach Eq.13
• Describes dissociation properties of weak acids
– What is the difference between a weak acid and a strong acid?
– Which are used in the food industry? Why?

• pH = pKa + log [A-] / [HA]

• When pH = pKa, than [A-] and [HA] are equal, or half

of the acid dissociate to generate [H+]

Work on practice problems 1-25 at the end of Ch. 13

pKa is an indicator of acid strength

Acid pKa Note

HCl -4 – -7 Strong acid, near 100% dissociation
H3PO4 2.1
Malic acid 3.4
Lactic acid 3.9
Acetic acid 4.7 Weak acid, 50% dissociate at pH 4.7

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 Acids in foods
• Natural composition • Added
– Apple
– Benzoic acid
– Orange
– Tomato – Acetic acid
– Citric acid
(Table 13-6) – Ascorbic acid
– Phosphoric acid

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 Acids generated in gut

Fermentable carbohydrates (fibers, Oligosaccharides)

Gut microflora (10 × of your body cells)

Acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid

Many other simple phenolic acids

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