Acid base balance

*Acid base balance depends on presence of buffers in the

blood
*in the phosphate buffer equation:
if we add acid to the rxn you increase the concentration of
protons, that drive the rxn to the left in order to reduce
concentration of protons .
However, if we add a base, these base will dissociate
producing (-OH)
which conjugate with (H+) producing water (reducing
concentration of protons in the solution) driving the rxn to
the right to produce more protons
*in Henderson- Hasselbalch equation: pKa is constant for all
buffers.
Acidic buffer :buffers that have low pKa at low pH
Basic buffer: buffers that have high pKa at low pH
if we have a buffer with pka of (7) resist change in ph
between (6 8)
so if I want to prepare a solution with a pH of 7.5 (and I want
these solution to be stable: pH resists changing ), then I can
choose any buffer above 6.5 and below 8.5 preferably a
buffer that act at 7.5 (buffering cabacity will be wide )
buffering cabacity :area where the buffer can resist change
in pH (pKa +/- 1)
*blood pH is about 7.4 ( ranges from 7.35 - 7.45 )
and must be maintained at 7.4
if the blood pH goes below 7.35 acidosis
if the blood pH goes above 7.45 alkalosis
phosphate buffer act intracellularly !!!
proteins as buffers can act inside cells or outside cells
for example albumin , it is a blood protein , it can bind a
proton or release a proton (act as buffer)
hemoglobin is an intracellular protein (in red blood cells) ,
but it can act as a buffer in blood because (inside RBCs) it

can bind or release protons accordingly

we should memorize the bicarbonate equation .
H+ + HCO3
H2CO3 CO2 + H2O
H+ + HCO3- H2CO3 .. this part of the rxn is
spontaneous .
* p CO2 pressure of CO2 .
* there is no H2CO3 in the blood because it dissociates
completely into HCO3- and H+ .
so to measure carbonic acid in the blood we measure how
much co2 in the blood which correlate with carbonic acid
(H2co3 = .03 p CO3) .
*the bicarbonic acid rxn is in an equilibrium, so when the
carbonic acid dissociate , , we use CO2 (from breathing)to
compensate.
* values in page 5 (2nd slide) should be memorized by heart .
*mmHg = torr
and the equation page 6 (1st slide) .. should be memorized.
pKa of the H2CO3 system is 6.1
Total co2 is not relevant in the clinic!!
*if a preson hold his breath increasing of co2 the rxn
will move to the lift (in order to decrease co2) H+ increase
ph decrease .(acidosis)
*if someone is hyperventilated (high rate of breath) co2
decrease
the rxn will move to the right
*phosphate buffer :
phosphate system is a triprotic buffer (have 3 protons to
release or accept )
so it can control the ph at three ranges :
1- H3CO4 H2CO4 - 1 + H+ ..
2- H2CO4 - (HCO4)-2 + H+..
3- HCO4(-2) (CO4)-3 + H+
each system have its own buffering capacity and pKa

the 1st system will act at 2.2 pH because its pKa is 2.2
the 2nd act at 7.2
the 3rd act at 9.2 or 10
*so , the best system for our cells is the second
this system act inside cells rather than outside cells
*alkalosis caused mainly by hysterical overbreathing
*respiratory compensation mainly controls how much CO2 in
the blood
*respiratory acidosis : if a person cant breathe well
(asthma , choking ) co2 is high the rxn will move to the
left producing more protons (acidosis) , we can overcome
this by increasing the amount of HCO3 (kidneys takes place
(metabolic compensation)
*if there is respiratory alkalosis : if a person has a panic
attack (high breathing rate ) co2 is down the rxn will
move to the right protons falls down ph is highthe
body compensate through the kidneys ( act by decreasing
the amount of HCO3- so the rxn move to the lift
producing more H+ (decreasing the co2 amount & ph of the
blood )
*abnormality in respiration causes respiratory acidosis /
alkalosis
*when kidneys can`t function well respiratory system
takes place to control the amount of co2 in the blood
(respiratory compensation)
*blood ph decreases during exercise due to increasing the
amount of lactic acid (from muscles)& co2 in the blood
*respiratory alkalosis :sometimes when somebody is panic
,he use paper bag to breath in (the co2 in the bag will
increase he will get more co2 from breathing ) .
SORRY for any mistakes