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high potassium = low ph?

Why do high potassium levels lead to high pH in berries? I found some info on

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that says "According to Boulton (1980) a significant exchange between K+ and H+ ions occurs in berries during ripening, causing an increase in pH as a result of the nett loss in H+ ions."

If K+ ions replace H+ ions in tartaric or malic acid then surely the pH will drop as free H+ ions are created?

cheers Euan Crawford

Reply to
denovan9
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Hey,

I can't give the real explanation any more, but the way I think about is that you can have only so many X+ ions in solution, so if you have a bunch of K+ ions in solution, then you'll have fewer H+ ions, and so a higher pH.

Dave

**************************************************************************** Dave Breeden snipped-for-privacy@lightlink.com
Reply to
David C Breeden

i think you have it backassward. any reduction of H+ in favor of more OH- means more alkalinity. When the number of H+ ions equals the number of OH- ions, the solution is neutral. It will have a pH of 7.

beyond that I don't know.

Reply to
billb

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