BUFFER SYSTEM

Danica Alyssa C. Cruz, RMT

RECAP…
ACID
a substance that can yield a hydrogen ion (H) or hydronium ion when dissolved in water

BASE
a substance that can yield hydroxyl ions (OH)

pK
defined as the negative log of the ionization constant, is also the pH in which the protonated
and unprotonated forms are present in equal concentrations.
RECAP…
STRONG ACIDS
Have pK values of less than 3.0

STRONG BASES
Have pK values greater than 9.0.

• For acids, raising the pH above the pK will cause the acid to dissociate and yield an H.
• For bases, lowering the pH below the pK will cause the base to release OH.

NOTE: Many species have more than one pK, meaning they can accept or donate more than
one H.
 WHAT IS
BUFFER?

The combination of a weak acid or

weak base and its salt, is a system
that resists changes in pH. The
effectiveness of a buffer depends on
the pK of the buffering system and
the pH of the environment in which it
is placed.
What is buffer?
The pH of a buffer system is given by the Henderson-Hasselbach equation:

 (for a weak acid and its salt)

(for a weak base and its salt)

Buffer System
• Buffer systems are systems in which
there is a significant (and nearly
equivalent) amount of a weak acid and
its conjugate base—or a weak base
and its conjugate acid—present in
solution. This coupling provides a
resistance to change in the solution's
pH.
• Buffer systems play important roles in
nature and in laboratory settings. In
nature, they offer protection to living
organisms, while in labs they're used
to create an environment with a stable 
Buffer Capacity
• is a measure of the efficiency
of a buffer in resisting changes
in pH.
• Conventionally, the buffer
capacity is expressed as the
amount of strong acid or base,
in gram-equivalents, that must
be added to 1 liter of the
solution to change its pH by
one unit.
Acid-Base Balance:
Maintenance of H+
• The normal concentration of H in the extracellular
body fluid ranges from 36–44 nmol/L (pH, 7.34–7.44)
• However, through metabolism, the body produces
much greater quantities of H+. Through exquisite
mechanisms that involve the lungs and kidneys, the
body controls and excretes H+ in order to maintain
pH homeostasis.
• Any H+ value outside this range will cause alterations
in the rates of chemical reactions within the cell and
affect the many metabolic processes of the body and
can lead to alterations in consciousness,
neuromuscular irritability, tetany, coma, and death.
 Since pH is the negative log of
the cH+:
The reference value for
• an increase in H+
arterial blood pH is 7.40 and
is equivalent to an H+ concentration decreases the
concentration of 40 nmol/L. pH
• whereas, a decrease in H
concentration increases the
pH.

Acid-Base
Balance:
A pH below the reference
range (7.34) is referred to as
acidosis, whereas a pH
Technically, the suffix -osis
refers to a process in the
body; the suffix -emia refers

Maintenance
above the reference range to the corresponding state in
(7.44) is referred to as blood (-osis is the cause of
alkalosis. the -emia).

of H+
The arterial pH is controlled by
systems that regulate the
production and retention of acids
and bases. These include buffers:
the respiratory center and lungs,
and the kidneys.
 Acid-Base Balance:
Regulation of H+
• The body’s first line of defense against extreme changes in H+
concentration is the buffer systems present in all body fluids. All buffers
consist of a weak acid, such as carbonic acid (H2CO3), and its salt or
conjugate base, bicarbonate (HCO3), for the bicarbonate–carbonic acid
buffer system. H2CO3 is a weak acid because it does not completely
dissociate into H and HCO3.
• When an acid is added to the bicarbonate–carbonic acid system, the
HCO3 will combine with the H from the acid to form H2CO3. When a base
is added, H2CO3 will combine with the OH group to form H2O and HCO3. In
both cases, there is a smaller change in pH than would result from adding
the acid or base to an unbuffered solution.

H2CO3 ↔ HCO3- + H+
Carbonic acid Bicarbonate
Acid-Base Balance:
Regulation of H+
• Although the bicarbonate–carbonic
acid system has low buffering
capacity, it still is an important buffer
for three reasons:

1. H2CO3 dissociates into CO2 and

H2O,allowing CO2 to be eliminated
by the lungs and H+ as water
2. Changes in CO2 modify the
ventilation (respiratory) rate
3. HCO3 concentration can be altered
by the kidneys.
 Acid-Base Balance:
Regulation of H+
• The phosphate buffer system (HPO4-2 - H2PO4) plays a role in
plasma and red blood cells and is involved in the exchange of
sodium ion in the urine H filtrate.
• Plasma protein, especially the imidazole groups of histidine, also
forms an important buffer system in plasma. Most circulating
proteins have a net negative charge and are capable of binding H.
• Phosphates are found in the blood in two forms:
1. sodium dihydrogen phosphate (Na2H2PO4−) - weak acid
2. sodium monohydrogen phosphate (Na2HPO42-) -weak base
• When Na2HPO42- comes into contact with a strong acid, such as
HCl, the base picks up a second hydrogen ion to form the weak
acid Na2H2PO4− and sodium chloride, NaCl. When Na2HPO42− (the
weak acid) comes into contact with a strong base, such as sodium
hydroxide (NaOH), the weak acid reverts back to the weak base
and produces water. Acids and bases are still present, but they
hold onto the ions.
Regulation of Acid-Base Balance:
Lungs and Kidneys
• The lungs and kidneys play important roles in regulating blood pH. The
interrelationship of the lungs and kidneys in maintaining pH is depicted by the
Henderson- Hasselbalch equation :
The numerator (HCO3) denotes kidney function, whereas the denominator (pCO2,
which represents H2CO3) denotes lung function.
• The lungs regulate pH through retention or elimination of CO2 by changing the rate
and volume of ventilation.
• The kidneys regulate pH by excreting acid, primarily in the ammonium ion, and by
reclaiming HCO3 from the glomerular filtrate.
 Acid-Base Disorders
• Acid-base disorders are pathologic changes in carbon dioxide
partial pressure (PCO2) or serum bicarbonate (HCO3−) that
typically produce abnormal arterial pH values.

1. Acidemia is serum pH < 7.35

2. Alkalemia is serum pH > 7.45

Acidosis refers to physiologic processes that cause acid

accumulation or alkali loss.
Alkalosis refers to physiologic processes that cause alkali
accumulation or acid loss.

NOTE: Actual changes in pH depend on the degree of physiologic

compensation and whether multiple processes are present.
METABOLIC ACIDOSIS
1. Primary Bicarbonate deficit (↓ HCO3-)
a. Diabetic Ketoacidosis (↑ acid production)
b. Renal Disease (↓ H+ excretion)
c. Prolonged Diarrhea (excessive HCO3- loss)
d. Late Salicylate poisoning

2. Compensatory Mechanisms
a. Primarily respiratory – Hyperventilation ↓ PCO2
b. Some renal (if kidney function is normal) – ↑ excretion of
H+ and reabsorption of HCO3-

3. Laboratory Findings
a. ↓ pH, HCO3-, CO2 and PCO2
b. Acidic urine
 METABOLIC
ALKALOSIS
1. Primary HCO3- excess
2. Seen in:
a. NaHCO3- infusion
b. Citrate (anticoagulant in blood transfusions)
c. Antacids (contain HCO3)
d. Vomiting (HCl loss; prolonged vomiting leads to alkalosis due
to GI loss of HCO3)
e. K+ depletion
f. Dieuretic therapy
g. Cushing’s syndrome
3. Compensatory Mechanisms
a. Primarily respiratory – Hypoventilation – ↑ retention of CO2
b. Some renal – ↓ excretion of H+ and ↑ reabsorption of HCO3
4. Lab findings – ↑ pH, HCO3-, CO2 and PCO2
RESPIRATORY
ACIDOSIS
1. Primary CO2 excess
2. Seen in:
a. Emphysema
b. Pneumonia
3. Compensatory Mechanisms
a. Primarily renal – ↑ H+ excretion and HCO3-
reabsorption
b. Some respiratory (if defect is not in the respiratory
center)
4. Lab findings – ↓ pH and ↑ HCO3-, CO2 and PCO2
RESPIRATORY
ALKALOSIS
1. Primary CO2 deficit
2. Seen in:
a. Hyperventilation (blowing off too much CO2)
b. Early salicylate poisoning
3. Compensatory Mechanisms
a. Primarily renal – ↑ H+ excretion
4. Lab findings – ↑ pH and HCO3-, ↓ CO2 and PCO2
 Acid-Base Organ Compensatory
Disorder Involved mechanism
Resp. Acidosis Renal ↑ HCO3
Resp. Alkalosis Renal ↓ HCO3
Met. Acidosis Lung ↓ pCO2
Met. Alkalosis Lung ↑ pCO2

COMPENSATORY MECHANISM
 Paramet Definition Normal Values
er
pH Negative log of 7.35 – 7.45
Blood Gas pCO2
H+
Partial pressure 35 – 45 mm Hg
Reference or tension of
CO2 in blood

Ranges HCO3 Bicarbonate

-calculated
22 – 26 mmol/L

pO2 Oxygen tension 80 – 110

– Partial mmol/L
pressure of
Oxygen
 Look at the pCO2 and
Look at the pH to
HCO3 to see where they
determine acidosis or
fall in relation to their
alkalosis
normal values

EVALUATING If the main

compensatory

ACID-BASE
mechanism has kicked If the pH is normal, full
in, but the pH is still out compensation has
of normal range, partial occurred.

DISORDERS
compensation has
occurred.

A primary dysfunction in A primary dysfunction in

respiratory function metabolic function
results in a change in results in a change in
pCO2. The main HCO3. The main
compensating factor will compensating factor will
be HCO3 (metabolic) be PCO2 (respiratory)
Acid Base Problems
Determine the acid-base status in each of the following
examples:

1. pH = 7.24
pCO2 = 33
HCO3 = 18

Result shows: ↓ pH , ↓ pCO2, ↓ HCO3

Answer: Metabolic Acidosis (uncompensated)

Acid Base Problems
2. pH = 7.52
pCO2 = 49
HCO3 = 39

Result shows: ↑ pH, pCO2, HCO3

Answer: Metabolic Alkalosis (uncompensated)

Acid Base Problems
3. pH = 7.26
pCO2 = 56
HCO3 = 27

Results shows: ↓ pH ↑ pCO2 and HCO3

Answer: Respiratory Acidosis (uncompensated)

Acid Base Problems
4. pH = 7.52
pCO2 = 28
HCO3 = 24

Results shows: ↑ pH, ↓ pCO2, HCO3

Answer: Respiratory Alkalosis (partially compensated)

Acid Base Problems
5. pH = 7.39
pCO2 = 25
HCO3 = 15

Result shows: N pH, ↓ pCO2, HCO3

Answer: Respiratory Alkalosis(completely compensated)

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Love, Ma’am Danica 