This document discusses pKa concepts related to ionization and dissociation of weak acids in soil. It provides the relationship between pH and pKa using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Specifically, it states that when pH equals pKa, the charged and uncharged species of a weak acid will be equal. It also discusses how soil organic matter and various inorganic components contribute to soil cation exchange capacity based on their functional groups' pKa values.
This document discusses pKa concepts related to ionization and dissociation of weak acids in soil. It provides the relationship between pH and pKa using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Specifically, it states that when pH equals pKa, the charged and uncharged species of a weak acid will be equal. It also discusses how soil organic matter and various inorganic components contribute to soil cation exchange capacity based on their functional groups' pKa values.
This document discusses pKa concepts related to ionization and dissociation of weak acids in soil. It provides the relationship between pH and pKa using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Specifically, it states that when pH equals pKa, the charged and uncharged species of a weak acid will be equal. It also discusses how soil organic matter and various inorganic components contribute to soil cation exchange capacity based on their functional groups' pKa values.
This document discusses pKa concepts related to ionization and dissociation of weak acids in soil. It provides the relationship between pH and pKa using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. Specifically, it states that when pH equals pKa, the charged and uncharged species of a weak acid will be equal. It also discusses how soil organic matter and various inorganic components contribute to soil cation exchange capacity based on their functional groups' pKa values.
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 16
pKa concepts
Ionization = the process in which ions are formed
from neutral compounds;
Dissociation = the separation of the ions of an
electrovalent compound as a result of the action of a solvent (usually water) For a weak acid, which dissociates as follows:
HA ↔ H+ + A- An interesting and extremely useful relationship between pH and pKa can be obtained simply by taking logarithms (to the base 10) of the previous equation:
giving the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation: The most convenient form of this Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, is Using pKa and pH relationship • By using pKa values, we are able to express the strength of an acid (i.e. its tendency to dissociate) with reference to the pH scale. • If Ka is large, then pKa will have a low numerical value. E.g., Hydrochloric acid, HCl has a pKa = -3 Acetic acid, CH3COOH has a pKa = 4.77 • A strong acid is one which is largely, or completely, dissociated, and which therefore has a high Ka value (and low pKa). • A weak acid is one that is only slightly dissociated in solution, and has a low Ka value. if we consider the situation where the acid is one-half (50%) dissociated, or where [A-] = [HA] (that is 50% negatively charged and 50% uncharged) then, substituting in the Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation
pH = pKa + log(A-/HA)
pH = pKa + log(1)
Therefore pH = pKa + 0
and pH = pKa How to use H-H equation • When pH = pKa, the charged and uncharged species have ~equal concentrations. • When pH > pKa, the ionized (charged) form is dominant, so there will be more negative sites, therefore, as pH increases, CEC increases • When pH < pKa, the un-ionized, uncharged form is dominant, so there will be fewer negative sites, thus, as pH decreases, CEC decreases (and AEC increases) Why care about pKa in soils? • CEC increases as pH increases Early studies showed soil CEC was constant from pH 2.5 – 5 At pH > 5 the CEC of soil increased, especially in soils containing organic matter or non 2:1 clays • Organic and inorganic components of soil have functional groups that dissociate at various pH’s, leaving them with a negative charge that can attract cations Acidity of various soil functional groups • Some inorganic surface functional groups are more likely to deprotonate or dissociate than others pKa of Al(OH2)+ = ~5, (Al-OH-Si)+0.5 = ~7, SiOH = ~9.5
2:1 silicate minerals have more Si-OH groups and
contribute less to pH-dependent charge than 1:1 minerals and metal oxides • SOM contributes the most negative charge 85-90% of charge due to deprotonation of COOH and phenolic OH groups which have pKa’s of 4 – 6 and 9 - 11 http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/ge16/10.gif Negative Positive Colloid % constant % variable charge charge
