Acids and Bases

Acid – Base Balance

Learning Objectives
 Simple definition of acids, bases,
buffers and pH.
 Measurement of pH
 Mechanisms involved in acid base
balance by various mechanisms
 Acid-base titrations, indicators
Importance of Hydrogen ion
concentration maintenance
 Hydrogen in all body compartments
 Maintenance of normal levels of
hydrogen is critical
 Acid-base balance is maintained by
closely regulated mechanism
Theory of acids and bases
 Svante Arrhenius
 Lewis
 Lowry and Bronsted
 Arrhenius theory

 Introduced in 1887
 Acids are substances that dissociate in
water to yield electrically charged atoms
or molecules, called ions, one of which is
a hydrogen ion (H +)
 Bases ionize in water to yield hydroxide
ions (OH −).
Lewis theory
 Lewis Bases donate pairs of electrons
and acids accept pairs of electrons.
 Lewis acid is therefore any substance,
such as the H+ ion, that can accept a pair
of electrons.
 In other words, a Lewis acid is an
electron-pair acceptor.
 Lewis base is electron-pair donor.
 Lowry Bronsted theory
 Brønsted–Lowry theory, also called proton
theory of acids and bases,
 Introduced independently in 1923 by the
Danish chemist Johannes Nicolaus
Brønsted and the English chemist Thomas
Martin Lowry,
 Compound that can transfer a proton to any
other compound is an acid
 Compound that accepts the proton is a
base.
Weak and strong acids
 Extent of dissociation decides the
strengt of acids and bases
 Strong acids dissociate completely
 Weak acids ionise incompletely
 Strong acid- HCl
 Weak acid – Acetic acid
Dissociation constant

The pH at which the acid is half ionised is called pKa.

It is constant at particular temperature and pressure.
Strong acids have a low pKa and weak acids have a high pKa.
Terms
 pK/ pKa
 Negative log of the ionization constant of an acid

 Strong acids would have a pK <3

 Strong base would have a pK >9

 pH
 Negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration
 pH= pK + log([base or salt]/[acid])
 Represents the hydrogen concentration
Terms
 Buffer
 Combination of a weak acid and /or a weak
base and its salt
 What does it do?
 Resists changes in pH

 Effectiveness depends on
 pK of buffering system
 pH of environment in which it is placed
Buffer action
Acid-Base Balance
 Function
 Maintains pH homeostasis

 Maintenance of H+ concentration

 Potential Problems of Acid-Base balance

 Increased H+ concentration yields decreased pH

 Decreased H+ concentration yields increased

pH
 Normal and abnormal pH
 Normal pH is 7.35-7.45
 Acidosis
 pH less than 7.35
 CNS depression or coma

 Alkalosis
 pH greater than 7.45
 Tetany, neuro muscular hyperexcitability
Regulation of pH
 Direct relation of the production and retention of acids and
bases
 Systems
 Respiratory Center and Lungs
 Kidneys
 Buffers
 Found in all body fluids
 Weak acids good buffers since they can tilt a reaction
in the other direction
 Strong acids are poor buffers because they make the
system more acid
19
 Blood Buffer Systems

 Why do we need them?

 Acids are produced during normal metabolism
 Acids will reduce pH
 Significant drops in pH interferes with cell
enzyme systems.
 Normal metabolism – volatile and non-volatile
acids are produced
 Volatile acids-carbonic acid
 Non-volatile acids – Keto acid, lactic acid,
phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid
Role of buffer systems
 Bicarbonate buffer
 Phosphate buffer
 Hemoglobin buffer
 Protein buffer
Bicarbonate buffer system
 Present in very high concentration
 Components are under physiological control
 CO2 – by lungs
 HCO3 – by kidneys
 H2CO3 – volatile and weak
 Front line defense buffer system
 Ratio – 20:1
 Bicarbonate buffer system –
working mechanism
When an acid enters the ECF: When an alkali enters the ECF:
NaHCO3 H+ L- H2CO3 NaOH

Na+ HCO3- H+ L- HCO3- H+ OH- Na+

H2CO3 + Na-Lactate NaHCO3 + H2O

(weak acid) (salt)

H2CO3 Carbonic anhydrase

H2O + CO2
Low CO tension
2
Phosphate buffer system
 Present in low concentration in blood
 Less efficient
 Operates in kidneys
 Ratio – 4:1
Phosphate buffer system –
working mechanism

When an acid enters the ECF: When an alkali enters the ECF:

HCl Na2HPO4 Na2HPO4 NaOH

Cl - H+ Na+ HPO4- Na+ Na+ HPO4- H+ OH- Na+

NaH2PO4 + NaCl H2 O + Na2HPO4

(excreted in urine) (excreted in urine)

Protein buffer system
 Depends on pKa value of side chains
 Acidic medium – protein acts as a
base
 Alkaline medium – protein acts as an
acid

Na+Pr- + H+L- NaL + H+Pr-

(strong acid) (salt) (weak acid)
Hemoglobin buffer
 Guanido and imidazole groups of
Histidine
 Hb has 38 mols of His
 Alkalinity favours oxgenation – acts as
acid
 Acidity favours deoxygenation – acts
as base
Oxygenation and
deoxygenation of Hb

O2(Oxygenation)
Fe++ O2 (Deoxygenation)
N

e- R
N+
Acts as ‘acid’ +Acts as ‘base’
and gives up H+ H and takes up
‘proton’ ‘proton’
 Lungs Tissues

Venous circulation
HCO3-
HCO3- HCO3-

HHb HHb
HHb

O2
O2

H+
H+

HbO2 - HbO2 - HbO2 -

H2CO3
H2CO3

H2O H2O
CO2 CO2

Expired air
Metabolism
Role of Lungs in acid-base
balance
 Respiratory centre – medulla
 Sensitive to even slight changes in pH
and pCO2
 Blood pCO2 – 1.5mmHg – 100%
stimulation of resp. centre
 in pulmonary ventilation
 Excess CO2 is removed from ECF
Role of Lungs in acid-base
balance

 Blood pCO2 or pH – 1.5mmHg –

depression of resp. centre
 Slow and shallow respiration
 Hypoventilation
 Retention of CO2 in blood
Respiratory mechanism thus maintains
normal BHCO3/H2CO3 levels in ECF
Role of kidneys or Renal
mechanism
Non-volatile acids

Buffered by cations (Na+)

Removed by glomerular filtration

Na+ ions are important and we cant lose them

Reabsorbed in renal tubules for exchange H+ ions

And Na is recovered as NaHCO3

Kidney mechanisms
 Three mechanisms operate in kidneys
to recover Na+ ions
 Bicarbonate mechanism
 Phosphate mechanism
 Ammonia mechanism
Bicarbonate mechanism
 Provides complete reabsorption of
NaHCO3
 Decreases H+ ion load of plasma with
little change in urine pH
 Bicarbonate mechanism –
working model
Blood Proximal tubular cells Tubular filtrate
Metabolic

CO2 CO2

H2O H2O H2CO3

HCO3- HCO3-
H+ H+ H2CO3
NaHCO3
Na+
Na+ Na+ Na+ + HCO3-
Sodium pump
(active transport) Passive diffusion NaHCO3

Bicarbonate mechanism
Phosphate mechanism
 Urine pH can become as low as 6 to
4.8
 Operates in distal tubules of kidney
Phosphate mechanism –
working model
Distal tubular epithelial cells
Blood Tubular filtrate
Metabolic

CO2 CO2 pH =7.4

2Na+ + HPO4 -
H2O H2O H2CO3
HCO3- HCO3-
H+ H+
NaHCO3
Na+
Na +
Na+ Na+
Sodium pump
(active transport)
NaH2PO4
Phosphate mechanism (Acid PO4)
Excreted in urine
(pH=6.0)
Ammonia mechanism
 Ammonia can exchange Cl- from NaCl
to form NH4Cl
 Operates in Distal tubules
 Distal tubular epithelial cells
Blood H2O Tubular filtrate
Glutamine Glutamic acid + NH3
(Oxidative deamination of amino acid)
NH3+
Metabolic

CO2 CO2

H2 O H2O H2CO3

HCO3- HCO3-
H+ H+ NH4+
NaHCO3
Na+
Na+ Na+ Na+ + Cl-
Sodium pump Passive diffusion
(active transport)

NH4Cl
Ammonia mechanism
Excreted in urine