Acid-base buffer effect of fulvic acid and barium fulvate from weathered coal

Abstract

The acid-base buffer characteristics of fulvic acid (FA) and barium fulvate (BaFA) were analyzed. Each share of the sample or model agents (phthalic acid and salicylic acid) were separately mixed into a series of shares of dilute solutions of HCl or NaOH with a series of concentration. The original pH values of the solutions were arranged from 2 to 13. Final balanced pH of each share was measured. The pH changes show that FA and BaFA possess buffer ability, whereas the model agents do not. The tendency of balanced pH values was 5.4 for FA and 7.4 for BaFA, whereas the original pH was 4.0∼8.5; balanced pH changed little. At room temperature, the maximum buffer capacities were as follows: 18.11 mmol hydroxyl per gram FA, 11.25 mmol hydroxyl per gram BaFA, 1.19 mmol proton per gram FA, and 1.45 mmol proton per gram BaFA. Mathematics analysis shows that logarithm of buffer capacities of FA and BaFA is linearly dependent on original pH. Compared with BaFA and model agents, it is concluded that FA buffer capacity against hydroxyl relies not only on its acidic groups, BaFA buffer capacity against hydroxyl does not rely on its acidic groups, and FA buffer capacity against proton is not related with its carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl group. The pH values of FA-water solutions with different concentrations from 1 to 10 grams per liter were measured. Their pH values were slightly affected by its concentration. Thus, FA possesses a much stronger buffer ability against water dilution than common buffer agent. All the pH values of FA water solutions were very nearby 5.4, just the same as the balanced pH tendency for adding FA.