Buffering capacity of the chief components of nutritive media for algae

The buffering capacity of solutions of KH2PO4 and NaHCO3 increases with their concentration, the behaviour being describable by mathematical expressions. Solutions of KH2PO4 prepared from tap water exhibit a buffering capacity higher by an order of magnitude than those prepared from distilled water. However, there is no difference between the buffering capacities of solutions of NaHCO3 prepared from tap and distilled water. Urea and NH4NO3 have almost no effect on the buffering capacities of solutions.