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A survey of 21 free online buffer calculators and apps found only 2 that correctly calculated pH under conditions where H+ and OH– cannot be ignored in the ratio term of the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation. Traditional guidelines for when use of formal concentrations is acceptable were found to be flawed. For acidic (pKa ≤ 7) buffers, the use of formal concentrations is valid when FA–/Ka > 20. For alkaline (pKa ≥ 7) buffers, the approximation is valid when FBH+/Kb > 20. Robust equations for predicting pH of acidic and alkaline buffers are presented, which could be used with programmable calculators and should be used for online buffer calculators and apps.
Charles A. Lucy (Mon,) studied this question.