gepuffertes

Gepuffertes is a German term that functions as an adjective meaning buffered. It describes systems, solutions, or preparations that resist changes in a key variable, most commonly pH, when small amounts of acid or base are added. The term appears in chemistry, biology and medicine, and it can also be encountered in computing to describe data flows smoothed by an intermediate storage buffer. In technical writing, gepuffertes highlights stability and resistance to change rather than absolute constancy.

In chemistry, a gepuffertes solution typically contains one component of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its conjugate acid. The pH of such a solution is related to the ratio of the two forms by the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation. Buffering capacity—the ability to resist pH change—depends on the total concentration of the buffering components and how close the pH is to the acid’s or base’s pKa. The buffering range is the pH interval over which the solution effectively maintains its pH.

Common Gepuffertes systems include acetate buffers (acetic acid and acetate) and phosphate buffers (phosphoric acid conjugates), with bicarbonate playing a major role in blood plasma. Buffered systems are essential in laboratory experiments, pharmaceutical formulations, medical treatments, and biological processes to preserve enzyme activity and metabolic stability.

Limitations include finite buffering capacity: large additions of strong acids or bases can overwhelm the buffer. Temperature, ionic strength, and composition affect effectiveness, and buffers do not correct large pH deviations. In computing and data processing, buffered I/O uses a temporary storage area to smooth differences in speed between producers and consumers, reducing latency but potentially introducing delay or data loss if buffers overflow.