Introduction to Biochemistry

By:
Prof. Dr. Abu Saeed Hashmi
Ms. Saba Saeed (Lecturer)
Introduction to Biochemistry
• It deals with biochemical reactions taking place in biological
organisms.
• The organisms may be very small like bacteria, yeast, fungi,
rat, cat, poultry, man, camel. No doubt apparently, they are
different from one another, but at molecular level they are very
much similar.
• For example, the mechanism of yeast to derive energy from
glucose is the same as that of other animals.
What is the use of this energy, i.e. to carry out very
important biological processes i.e.
• maintenance,
• growth,
• production,
• reproduction,
• locomotive movement,
• nerve impulses,
• active transportation etc.
pH & its importance

Definition:
Negative Logarithm of molar concentration of Hydrogen ion
in gram per liter
• Unit: Gram per litre g/L
• Equation. pH = -log [H]
The pH value of any solution indicates whether it is
acidic, neutral, or basic. Also, it is used to determine the
strength of acid and base.
Water is a weak electrolyte
H2O ⇌ H++OH-
• According to law of mass action,
[H] [OH] /[H20] = K
• Ionic product of water [H+] [OH-] = 10 -14 g/L 2
As [H+] = [OH-] in distilled water, replacing [OH-] with [H+]
Therefore [H+] [H+] = 10 -14 g/L 2
[H+]2 = 10 -14 g/L 2
• Taking square root on both sides
√ [H+]2 = √ 10 -14 g/L 2
[H+] = 10 -7 g/L
Taking -ve log on both side
- log [H+] = -log 10 -7 g/L
pH = 7
In case of distilled water pH = 7
Adding Acid:-
If we add dilute HCI in dilute water in small amount; then [H+] will increase.
10-7, 10-6, 10-5, 10-4, 10-3, 10-2, 10-1 g/L
Adding Base
we add dilute NaOH in water in small amount: then [H+] will decrease
10-7, 10-8, 10-9, 10-10, 10-11, 10-12, 10-13, 10-14 g/L
If we take -ve log value on both sides then,
- log [H+] = - log [ 10-1 , 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8, 10-9, 10-10, 10-11,
10-12, 10-13 , 10-14 ] g/L
pH = 1, 2, 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12,13,14 g/L
limit of pH in biological system
• pH 1,2,3 = Quiet acidic
• pH 4,5,6 = Bit acidic
• pH 6,7 = Neutral
• pH 8, 9 = Slight alkaline
• pH 10, 11, 12 = Bit more alkaline
• pH 13,14 = Quite alkaline
Significance of pH
• As pH is negative log of Hydrogen ion [H+] concentration.
Therefore, each degree decreases or increases in pH value
denotes 10 times more or less [H+] in g/litre
• A solution having pH 2 will have 104 times more H+ ion
concentration as compared to a solution having pH 6
Buffer
It is a mixture of weak acid and its salt with strong base i.e.,
CH3COOH + NAOH CH3COONa+ H2O
weak acid strong base salt
So, CH3COOH + CH3COONa is a buffer. It is also known as Acidic
buffer.
It is also a mixture of weak alkali and its salt with strong acid i.e.
NH4OH + HCl NH4Cl + H2O
Weak alkali strong acid salt
So, NH4OH and NH4Cl is a buffer. It is also known as Alkaline buffer.
Function of Buffer
❑It resists change in pH when a small amount of acid or alkali is added.
For example,
if we add small quantity of HCl to acidic buffer (CH3COOH + CH3COONa
pH 4). The component of buffer CH3COONa reacts with HCl.
CH3COONa + HCl CH3COOH+ NaCl
i.e. the buffer has changed strong acid to weak acid (CH3COOH). Thereby
the pH is changed slightly i.e., 3.9,3.8. which is not an appreciable change.
Conti..
Now Consider we add small quantity of alkali (NaOH) to the same buffer
solution having pH 4. Then buffer Component CH3COOH reacts, with
alkali NaOH.
CH3COOH + NaOH CH3COONa +H2O.
The buffer has changed the strong alkali to weak base (CH3COONa).
Thereby the pH is changed slightly i.e., 4.1, 4.2. which is not an
appreciable change.
This is how the buffer resists change in pH when small quantity of acid or
alkali is added.
Henderson Hasselbalch equation
• It gives simples ratio between salt and acid to form a buffer
solution.
рH = pKa + log [Salt] /[Acid]
We suppose dissociation of weak acid.
HA ⇌ [H+] + [A-]
According to law of mass action
[H+] [A-] / [HA] = Ka
• Ka = (dissociation constant of acid)
Rearranging the equation
[H+] = Ka [HA]/ [A-]
Conti..
Taking -log on both sides
- log [H+] = -log Ka -log [HA] / [A-]
pH = pKa -log [HA] / [A-]
pH = pKa + log [A-] / [HA]
pH = pKa + log [Salt] / [Acid]