Preparation Of Different Buffer Solutions

BCH 312 [Practical]

Introduction:

 All biochemical reactions occur under strict conditions of the concentration of hydrogen ion.

 Biological life cannot withstand large changes in hydrogen ion concentrations which we measure as
the pH.

Those solutions that have the ability to resist changes in pH upon the addition of limited amounts of acid
or base are called Buffers.
Buffers

 are solutions that have the ability to resist changes in pH. upon the addition of limited amounts of
acid or base.

 A buffer is made up of a weak acid and its conjugate base. Or a weak base and its conjugate acid .
 Types of Buffer:

[acidic buffer] [basic buffer]

• Is made of a Weak acid and its conjugated • is made of Weak base and its conjugated
base [ its salt] acid [its salt]

Example: • Example:
1. CH3COOH / CH3COONa (Pka) NH3/NH4CL (Pkb)
CH3COOH (Weak acid) NH3 (Weak base)
CH3COONa (conjugated base –its salt) NH4CL (conjugated acid –its salt)

2. H2CO3 / HCO3Na (Pka)

3. NaH2PO4 / Na2HPO4 (Pka)
 Mechanism of Action (Buffer):

How buffers can resist the change in pH?

Example using [HA/A-] buffer
HA: Weak acid. A-: conjugated base [its salt].

HA⇌H++A-

[a] If H+ is added to this buffer system  H+ will [b] If OH- is added to this buffer system [HA/A-] OH will
react with conjugated base to give conjugate acid. react with conjugated acid to give conjugate base and H2O.

H+ OH-

A-⇌ HA HA⇌A-+H2O
 Mechanism of Action (Buffer):

 Example:
 Buffer system: CH3COOH / CH3COO- , (CH3COOH :acid - CH3COO-: conjugated base )

- When acid [H+] added: CH3COO- + H+ CH3COOH

- When base [OH] added: CH3COOH + OH - CH3COO- + H2O

 NOTE: It resists pH changes when it’s two components are present in specific proportions.

 Thus a buffer can protect against pH changes from added H+ or OH- ion as long as there is sufficient basic
and acidic forms respectively. As soon as you run out of one of the forms you no longer have a buffer .
 Henderson-Hasselbalch equation

 The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is an equation that is often used to:

1- To calculate the PH of the Buffer.

2-To prepare Buffer.

- It relates the Ka [dissociation constant] of a weak acid , [HA] concentration Of weak acid ,
[A-] concentration Of conjugate base [salt of the weak acid] components and the pH of the buffer.
 A buffer is best used close to its pKa.[to act as a good buffer the pH of the solution must be
within one pH unit of the pKa].

 The buffer capacity is optimal when the ratio of the weak acid to its salt is 1:1; that is,
when pH = pKa
 Buffer capacity

Quantitative measure of this resistance to pH changes is called Buffer capacity

Buffer capacity can be defined in many ways, it can be defined as:

The number of moles of H+/OH- ions that must be added to one liter of the buffer in order to decrease
/increase the pH by one unit respectively.

From the equation the buffer capacity is

directly proportional to the buffer
concentration.

The buffer capacity is expressed as β and can be derived from Henderson Hasselbalch equation:
Where : β = the buffer capacity , [H+] = the hydrogen ion concentration of the buffer , [C] = concentration
of the buffer and Ka= acid dissociation constant
 pH Calculation

1- for weak acid [not buffers]: 2- for weak base [not buffers] : 3- for buffers :

* P[HA] = -log [HA] ** P[OH] = -log [OH] *PH = Pkw – POH.

pH = pkw–pOH
 [Pkw : number of dissociation constant of H2O]. The concentration of HA and A-
in the buffer
Practical Part
Objective:

1) To understand the nature of buffers solutions.

2) To learn how to prepare buffers.

A. Nature of Buffers:

Method:

You are provided with: 0.2M solution of CH3COOH , 0.2M solution of CH3COONa.
1. Determine which is the weak acid and which is the conjugated base [or its salt].

2. Calculate the volume that you must take from CH3COOH and CH3COONa to prepare
the following mixtures with final volume of the solution =20 ml :

a. 100% [HA]
b. 75% [HA] , 25% [A-]
c. 50% [HA] , 50% [A-]
d. 25% [HA] , 75% [A-]

3. Calculate the pH for each solution [pKa of CH3COOH = 4.76].

4. Follow the table.

 Calculations HA : CH3COOH.
A-: CH3COONa.

1- Volume calculation
To Calculate the volume that you must take from CH3COOH and CH3COONa to prepare previous mixtures in final
volume of 20 ml :

 (A) 100% [HA]:

The final volume is 20ml, So:
20 x 100%= (20 x 100)/100 = 20 ml
take 20ml HA and measure the PH.

 (B) 75% [HA], 25% [A-]:

From HA= 20 x 75%= (20 x 75) /100 = 15 ml
From A- = 20 x 25%= (20 x 25)/ 100 = 5 ml

Mix 15ml HA and 5 ml A- and measure the PH (measured PH) note that the total volume is 20 ml [15ml +5ml =20ml]

 The same way for the other mixtures.

 Calculations Cont’ 2- pH calculation

To calculate the pH for the previous mixtures with pKa of CH3COOH = 4.76 :

 (A) [100%] HA : (C) 50%[HA] , 50%[A] :

pH = Pka + log [A-] / [HA], pH= 4.76 + log [A-]/[HA]
[HA] = C1X V1= C2X V2 =0.2 X 10 = C2 X 20 = C2 = 0.1M
p[HA] = - log [HA] = -log 0.2 = 0.69
[A-] = C1X V1= C2X V2 = 0.2 X 10 = C2X 20 = C2 = 0.1 M
pH = 4.76+ 0.698 = 2.72
2 So, pH = 4.76+log 0.1/0.1, pH = 4.76 [pH=pka] Best

 (B) 75%HA , 25% A- : (D) 25% [HA], 75% [A-] :

PH = Pka + log [A-]/[HA]
pH = pka+ log [A-] / [HA], pH= 4.76 + log [A-]/[HA]
PH= 4.76 + log [A-]/[HA]
[HA] = C1X V1= C2X V2 =0.2 X 5 = C2X 20 = C2 = 0.05M
[HA] = C1 X V1 = C2 X V2 = 0.2 X 15 = C2 X 20 = 0.15M
[A-] = C1X V1= C2X V2 = 0.2 X 15 = C2X 20 = C2 = 0.15 M
[A-] = C1X V1= C2X V2 = 0.2 X 5 = C2X 20 = 0.05 M

 So, PH = 4.76+log 0.05/0.15 , pH = 4.282 So, pH = 4.76+log 0.15/0.05, pH = 5.24

 You are provided with: 0.2M solution of CH3COOH,0.2M solution of CH3COONa.
 Calculate the volume that you must take from CH3COOH and CH3COONa
 With (the final volume of the solution =20 ml) and pKa of CH3COOH = 4.76
 (2) Preparation of buffer:

You are provided with 0.2M acetic acid and solid sodium acetate.
Prepare 50ml of a 0.19M acetate buffer pH =4.86 if you know that pKa =4.76.
 Calculations:
 Provided: 0.2 M
Acetic acid Sodium acetate
• Solid sodium acetate [as A-] [HA] [A-]
• 0.2M Acetic acid. [as HA]
g?
• Pka = 4.76 ml ?

 Required:
• Final volume of buffer =50ml
• pH=4.86
• Buffer concentration = 0.19 M
pH 4.86 50 ml
Buffer Concentration = [HA] + [A-] 0.19 M
0.19 =[HA] + [A-]
Buffer
 Calculations

 To prepare a buffer Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is used:

pH = pka+log [A-] \[HA]

 First calculate the concentrations of HA and A- in the buffer:

Assume [A-] =y , [HA] = 0.19 –y

y y
4.86 (of buffer) = 4.76 +log 0.1 = log
0.19-y 0.19-y

by taking the “Anti log for both sides”:

y
1.26 = 0.19-y y=1.26 x (0.19-y) y= 0.24 – 1.26 y y + 1.26 y = 0.24 2.26 y = 0.24

 y= 0.11 M [which is the concentration of [A-] in the buffer ]

 Buffer Concentration = [HA] + [A-] 0.19 =[HA] + [A-]
 So, [HA] = 0.19 – 0.11= 0.08 M [which is the concentration of [HA] in the buffer ]
 Calculations Cont’

2- To calculate the volume needed from [HA] to prepare the buffer, No. of mole of [HA] should be calculated first :

 Calculate moles in buffer: No. of mole (of HA) = molarity (of HA calculated in buffer) X volume L (volume of buffer required)
= 0.08 X 0.05 = 0.004 mole
 Calculate the volume of stock HA: M (of stock HA in Q) = no. of mole (of HA calculated) / Volume in Liter (volume of HA ?)
0.2 = 0.004/V
V = 0.02 L = 20 ml

 3- To calculate the weight needed from [A-] to prepare the buffer, No. of mole of [A- ] should be calculated first :

 Calculate moles in buffer: No. of mole (of A-) = molarity (of A- calculated in buffer) X volume L (volume of buffer required)
=0.11 X 0.05 = 0.0055 mole
 Calculate the wight of stock A-: wt in (g) of [A-] = mole X Mw
= 0.0055 x 82 = 0.45 g
Method

 Now take 20 ml from 0.2M acetic acid and 0.45 g from solid sodium acetate then complete the volume
up to 50 ml by addition of water.

 Check the pH
(3)Testing for buffering behavior:

Method:
 In one beaker add 10ml of 0.19M acetate buffer that you have prepared, and in another beaker add
10ml of 0.2M KCl.
 Measure the pH.
 Add 0.1ml from 2M HClto for both solutions.
 Measure the pH after the addition.
 H.W

You are provided with 0.5M acetic acid and 0.5M sodium acetate.
Prepare 100 ml of a 0.3M acetate buffer pH =5.2 if you know that pKa =4.76.