Curriculum Materials: Attachment B Nursing Biochemistry

Nursing Biochemistry
1 Laboratory Report

pH and Buffers
Activity No. 1

Mijal, Marwa H.
Muammil, Jasmine A.
Paraon, Stephanie A.
Salim, Shar-Nedeen C.
BSN1; NurBio Lab B
Summer, SY 2020-21
April 21, 2021

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Biochemistry
Laboratory Report

RATIONALE
pH, is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration. It expresses the acidity or basicity of solutions. Buffers,
is a solution that can resist pH change upon the addition of an acidic or basic components. It is able to
neutralize small amounts of added acid or base, thus maintaining the pH of the solution relatively stable.

On this activity we would test the samples of defribrinated blood, fresh milk, freshly voided urine by using
pH paper reading and pH meter reading, and the solutions of distilled water, 0.1M Sodium Acetate,
Phosphate buffer pH 7.0, and Albumin Solution by using pH with 0.1 mL 0.1N NaOH, and pH with 0.1 mL
0.1N HCI. This procedure is to determine the effectiveness of pH reading and to determine the
effectiveness or capacity of a buffer solution.

pH and buffers are important in the medical field because all biological processes are dependent on pH,
cells and organisms must maintain a specific and constant pH in order to keep their enzymes in the
optimum state of protonation. Buffer solutions are extremely important in biology and medicine because
most biological reactions and enzymes need very specific pH ranges in order to work properly.

The following are the objectives for this activity:

1. Explain concepts of pH and buffers

2. Discuss when a sample is acidic, neutral or basic.
3. Predict the action of a buffer when an acidic solution is added to it; predict its action when a basic
solution is added to it.

DATA INTERPRETATION

Table No. 1

Interpretation:

In the table no. 1 (pH Determination) use pH strip and meter, this will determine the acidity and
alkalinity of the sample. In the test sample of defribinated blood the color change was not properly observed
due to the pigment in the blood so when it was compare to the color chart. As the result from the pH mater,
the pH level of the Defribinated blood is 7.93. The results of pH level in Fresh Milk using the pH strip is 6
while on the pH meter is 6.67. Lastly on the test sample of Fresh Urine, as it was compared in the pH chart
the result of the test is between mid-6 and 7 while on the pH meter the result is 6.76.

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Biochemistry
Laboratory Report

Table No. 2

Interpretation:

In the second activity (buffers) there are three test was performed. First, getting the origin of the
test solution, the pH with 0.1 ml 0.1N NaOH and the pH with 0.1 ml 0.1N HCI with the use of pH meter.
In the sample test solution of Distilled water, the original pH level of it is 7.03 but the pH level changed
and increased with the addition of 1 ml of 0.1N NaOH that results to pH 10.02, as of the pH result of
distilled water with the addition of 0.1 ml 0.1 HCI, the pH is 3.25.

In test solution of 0.1M Sodium Acetate, the origin pH of it is 7.53, as the solution add with 0.1 ml 0.1N
NaOH the pH level increased into 10.18 and lastly, 0.1 ml 0.1 HCI add on the 0.1M Sodium Acetate solution
the pH level result to 6.42.

The third test solution is the Phosphate Buffer pH 7.0 and the original pH level is 7.13. Adding a 0.1 ml
0.1N NaOH the pH level results to 7.19 while the 0.1 ml 0.1N HCI, results 7.04 so in test solution of
Phosphate Buffer pH 7.0 the results are not that far different from its original pH level.

In the last solution, which is the Albumin Solution, the origin pH of it is 7.13 with the added solution of 0.1
ml 0.1N NaOH the pH results 7.94 while in the added solution of 0.1 ml 0.1N HCI it results 6.87.

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Biochemistry
Laboratory Report

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. What is the normal pH of blood? Milk? Urine?

Blood: 7.35 to 7.45
Milk: 6.7 to 6.9
Urine: 4.5 to 8.0

2. What is the biochemical relevance of pH?

- pH is biologically important because it affects the structure and activity of
macromolecules. pH is important in homeostatic processes.

3. Calculate the pH of the following solutions?

a) 0.01M HCl = 2.00
b) 2.2 x 10-3 M NaOH = 11.34
4. Which sample exhibited buffer action? Explain.
- In the sample activity no.2 the number 3 test solution which is Phosphate Buffer pH 7.0 exhibited
buffer action. The main function of the buffer is to resist any changes in pH value even there’s a
solution added. As what the result shown the pH level of Phosphate Buffer pH 7.0, from its origin
pH and after adding two kinds of solution the pH level stays at 7.
5. What are the buffer systems in whole blood and plasma?
- The buffer systems functioning in blood plasma include plasma proteins, phosphate, and
bicarbonate and carbonic acid buffers.

CONCLUSION

As we can see at the data interpretation the pH reading weather it is paper/ meter, and the test sampling
of solutions, their results varies based on the differences of moles of chemical names. The result also
changes depending on the use of equipment such as paper reading pH or pH meter. But we can still say
that the pH and buffers did their job well by neutralizing any added (H+ ions) or base (OH- ions) to
maintain the moderate pH.

REFERENCES

Buffer action and Buffer solution (last updated May 31, 2020) Shilpi Nagpal
[Link]
action/#:~:text=The%20property%20of%20a%20buffer,action%20of%20ammonium%20acetate%20solut
ion
Structural Biology. (2014, February 14).
[Link]

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Biochemistry
Laboratory Report

Bono MJ, Reygaert WC. Urinary Tract Infection. [Updated 2020 Nov 21]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-.
[Link]
MD Noreen, I. (2018, June 18). [Link]
MD Lewis, JL. (2020, January). [Link]
disorders/acid-base-balance/acidosis
Andrew & Morsch.
[Link]
ok%3A_The_Basics_of_GOB_Chemistry_(Ball_et_al.)/10%3A_Acids_and_Bases/10.5%3A_Buffers

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University