Question

Would glycine be a better buffer in a higher animal circulatory system than phosphates or bicarbonate/carbonate?

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is - No, glycine would not be better buffer.

Explanation:

Human blood is slightly basic or alkaline in nature and to maintain this the blood needs a buffer of bicarbonate ion and carbonic acid as the change in the blood pH fluctuation (lower to 6.8 and or higher to 7.8) can lead to the death.

Glycine has lower PKA value but it has pH of the 7.6 that means it is more alkaline than the blood and has higher second pKa that is 9.58 which is high for the body fluids.

Thus, the correct answer is - No, glycine would not be better buffer.

Answer 2

Answer:

Glycine will be better

Explanation:

Some of the characteristics of good buffer solution are-  

a) Must be highly soluble

b) Non toxis

c) Must have pka values ranging between 6.0 to 8.0

d) Low absorbance rate, permeability and reactivity

Based on the above description, we know that the first pka value of glycines is 2.34 and second pk value of 9.60 while the same for phosphate is 2.16 and 7.21 and bicarbonates is 6.4.  

Also, glycine is less permeable as compared to carbonates and bi carbonates.