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Buffering agent
A buffering agent adjusts the pH of a solution. The function of a buffering agent is to drive an acidic or alkaline solution to a certain pH state and prevent a change in this pH. Buffering agents have variable properties -- some are more soluble than others; some are acidic while others are basic. As pH managers, they are important in many chemical applications, including agriculture, food processing, medicine and photography. Additional recommended knowledge
What a buffering agent isBuffering agents can be either the weak acid or weak base that would comprise a buffer solution. Buffering agents are usually added to water to form buffer solutions. They are the substances that are responsible for the buffering seen in these solutions. These agents are added to substances that are to be placed into acidic or basic conditions in order to stabilize the substance. For example, buffered aspirin has a buffering agent, such as MgO, that will maintain the pH of the aspirin as it passes through the stomach of the patient. Another use of a buffering agent is in antacid tablets, whose primary purpose is to lower the acidity of the stomach. How a buffering agent worksThe way buffering agents work is seen in how buffer solutions work. Using Le Chatelier's principle we get an equilibrium expression between the acid and conjugate base. As a result we see that there is little change in the concentrations of the acid and base so therefore the solution is buffered. A buffering agent sets up this concentration ratio by providing the corresponding conjugate acid or base to stabilize the pH of that which it is added to. The resulting pH of this combination can be found by using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:
where HA is the weak acid and A is the anion of the base. Buffering Agents Vs. Buffer SolutionsBuffering agents are similar to buffer solutions as a result of the fact that buffering agents are the main components of a buffer solution. They both regulate the pH of a solution and resist changes in pH. A buffer solution maintains the pH for the whole system which is placed into it, whereas a buffering agent is added to an already acidic or basic solution, which it then modifies and maintains a new pH. Buffering agents and buffer solutions are almost exactly alike except for a few differences:
ExamplesMonopotassium phosphate (MKP) is an example of a buffering agent. It has a mildly acidic reaction; when applied as a fertilizer with urea or diammonium phosphate, it minimizes pH fluctuations which can cause nitrogen loss. In humansBuffering agents in humans, functioning in acid base homeostasis, are extracellular agents (e.g., bicarbonate, ammonia) as well as intracellular agents (including proteins and phosphate). References
See also
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Buffering_agent". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. |