ABSTRACT
A water molecule may lose one of its hydrogen atoms to a neighboring one and the frequency of the loss of hydrogen atom in pure water at equilibrium is about one in 10 million (107). The resulting pair of charged particle, a hydrogen ion (H+) and hydroxyl ion (OH-) determines acidity and alkalinity, respectively. Even at a low concentration, they are of immense importance in biological systems. Most internal biological systems are highly sensitive to changes in H+ ion concentration and function at best, when its concentration is in the range of 10-6-10-8 molar or pH6-pH8. Biochemical processes occurring within intra-and extra-cellular compartments are protected against signifi cant changes in pH by the presence of buffers or substances that minimize changes in H+ and OH-in solutions. By its change to carbonic acid or disassociation of carbonic acid, the bicarbonate, most commonly found in living organisms and in aqueous environment, accepts excess H+ ions to prevent acidity or removes excess OH-ions to prevent alkalinity (Eddy and Handy, 2012).
