CINEC Campus (Pvt) Ltd

Approved for Quality Management System

Faculty of Health Sciences

Physical Pharmacy – Practical 6
Approved for Quality Management System

Faculty Faculty of Health Batch Batch 01

Sciences

Practical No: 06
Practical: Determination of buffer capacity

Learning Objectives:
1. Being able to determine the buffer capacity of a given buffer solution

Principle:

A buffer solution is a solution that resists changes in pH either when diluted or when
limited amounts of acid or base are added to it. Such a solution can be prepared by
combining a weak acid and its salt with a strong base (conjugated base) or, analogously, a
weak base and its salt with a strong acid (conjugated acid).

For example:

Acetate buffer: CH3COOH (the weak acid) + CH3COONa (the salt, conjugated base)

Phosphate buffer: NaH2PO4 (the weak acid) + Na2HPO4 (the salt, conjugated base)

HA H+ + A-

When some strong acid (more H+) is added to an equilibrium mixture of the weak acid and
its conjugate base, the equilibrium is shifted to the left, in accordance with Le Chatelier’s
principle. This causes the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration to increase by less than the
amount expected for the quantity of strong acid added. Similarly, if a strong base is added to
the mixture, the hydrogen ion concentration decreases by less than the amount expected for
the quantity of base added. This is because the reaction shifts to the right to accommodate for
the loss of H+ in the reaction with the base.
Buffer capacity () is defined as the amount of a strong acid or a strong base that has to be
added to 1 litre of a buffer to cause pH change of 1.0 pH unit:

where n is number of equivalents of added strong base (per 1 L of the solution).

dpH means change in the pH value

Note that addition of dn moles of acid will change pH by exactly the same value but in
opposite direction.

Materials Required:

1. pH meter
2. buffer solution
3. 0.05M NaOH solution
4. water
5. beaker
6. burette

Procedure:

➢ Approximately 25 mL of unknown buffer solution is taken.

➢ Measure out 10.0 mL of your unknown buffer solution into a beaker and add about
100 mL of distilled water.
➢ The 100 mL of water are added to ensure there is sufficient solution present to
accurately read the pH. The water has no effect on the measured or calculated buffer
capacity
➢ Read and record the pH of your buffer solution.
➢ Fill a buret with the 0.05 M NaOH(aq) provided. Record the initial buret reading (to
the nearest 0.01 mL) and the actual NaOH concentration on your data sheet
➢ With the pH electrode immersed in the (diluted) buffer solution, add the NaOH from
the burette until the pH has increased by one pH unit
➢ The contents must be stirred during the addition. This can be done either by careful
swirling of the beaker, or stirring with the pH electrode. Be careful not to hit the glass
 electrode on the sides of the beaker. The electrode should not be removed from the
solution until the titration is complete.
➢ Record the final pH and burette readings.
➢ Calculate the buffer capacity

Refer the following videos to get a clear understanding on determination of buffer

capacity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OziZZcZ11jw
Learning Activities:
Prepare the laboratory report on “Determination of buffer capacity” Include the following,
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References