pH MEASUREMENT AND BUFFER PREPARATION

Christelle Mae S. Guy, Bea Armanie U. Haboc, Hannah Marie G. Herrella, Isabelle Louise F.
Ilagan, Myzhel S. Inumerable, and Natasha R. Jain
Group 5
2CPharmacy
Organic Chemistry Laboratory
ABSTRACT
The experiment was conducted to prepare different buffer solutions and determine the pH of the buffers and samples
colorimetrically using different liquid indicators.

INTRODUCTION
Yeyeyeyeyey

+0.62 n

HP O4 -2

1.0000 n

EXPERIMENTAL

H 2 P O 4-

1.62 n

A. Compounds tested
15M phosphoric acid (H 3PO4), 6M sodium
hydroxide (NaOH), distilled water (H2O),
Eight O Clock orange juice, Sunsilk Brilliant
Shine
shampoo,
acid-base
indicators
(thymol
blue,
bromophenol
blue,
bromocresol green, bromocresol purple,
phenol
red,
methyl
orange,
phenolphthalein)
B. Procedure
1. Preparation of Buffer
The buffer solution was prepared using
the following guidelines:
Table 1. Guidelines for buffer solution
preparation
Weak acid

H2PO4-

Conjugate base
Volume
Concentration
pH
pKa

HPO4-2
250 mL
0.100 M
7.00
7.21

(salt)
(acid)

pH = pKa + log

(HPO4 -2 )
( H 2 P O 4- )
-2
(HPO4 )
7.0 7.21 = log
( H2 P O4 )

Actual number of moles of phosphate buffer

250 mL

0.1 n
0.250 L =0.025 n
L
Actual number of moles of

0.6 2 n/L
(HPO4 -2 )
=
1.0000 n/L
( H 2 P O 4- )
Theoretical number of moles

HP O42

-2
0. 62 n n HP O4
=
1.6 2 n
0.025 n

HPO4-2 = 0.095 n
Actual number of moles of

H 2 P O4

1.0000 n n H 2 P O4
=
1.6 2 n
0.025 n

H2PO4- = 0.0154 n
mL of H3PO4 needed

0.025 n

7.0 = 7.21+ log

antilog(-0.21) = 0.6166

1L
=0.250 L
1000 mL

1L
1000 mL

=1. 4 7 mL H3 P O4
17 n 1 L

mL of 6 M NaOH
0.025 n + 0.010 n = 0.035 n

0.04 n

1 L 1000 mL

=6 . 67 mL NaOH
6n 1L

Amount of distilled water needed

250 mL = 1.67 mL + 5.83 mL + x
250 mL 9.7361 mL = 242.5 mL distilled H2O

A volume of 1.67 mL ( _ drops) 15M

phosphoric acid (H3PO4) and 5.83 mL ( _ drops)
of 6M NaOH was aspirated using a serological
pipette while _ mL of distilled water was
measured in a graduated cylinder. The reagents
were mixed in an Erlenmeyer flask. The buffer
was transferred in an amber-colored bottle with
label.
2. Preparation of color standards using
the buffer solutions
5 mL of prepared buffers was pipetted
into 8 test tubes labeled properly with the
corresponding acid-base indicator to be
added. 2 drops of a liquid indicator were
placed into a test tube. The procedure was
performed using the other indicators. The
color changes were taken down.
3. Determination of the pH of samples
5 mL of the sample (distilled water,
Sunsilk Brilliant Shine shampoo, and Eight
OClock orange juice) was measured using
a graduated cylinder and were transferred
into a test tube with label of the sample to
be tested. 2 drops of an acid-base indicator
was added and the change in the color was
noted down. The procedure was repeated
using a different indicator.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Preparation of the Buffer
Preparation of color standards using the
buffer solutions
Determination of the pH of samples

REFERENCES
1. Troy, David. (2006). Remington: The
Science and Practice of Pharmacy 21st
Edition. Philadelphia. Lippincott
William and Wilkins.(pp.499-500)
2. Cecil, J.R. (1995). Basic Biochemical
Laboratory Procedures and Computing
with Principles, Review Questions,
Worked Examples, and Spreadsheet
Solutions. (1st ed.). New York: Oxford
University Press. Pages 40-65.
3.