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A biological buffer is an organic substance that has a neutralizing effect on hydrogen ions. In this way, a biological buffer helps maintain the body at the correct pH so that biochemical processes continue to run optimally.

Most buffers consist of a weak acid and a weak base. They help maintain a given pH even after the addition of an acid or a base. For example, blood contains a carbonic acid (H2CO3)-bicarbonate (HCO3-) buffer system. In this system, the weak acid dissociates to a small extent, giving bicarbonate ions. These ions are capable of binding extra H+ions floating around in the blood. This reforms the weak acid and reduces the amount of H+ ions in solution.

Biological buffers can also be buffer systems that help maintain a steady pH around the physiological pH. When conducting experiments with individual components of cells or individual proteins, scientists must take into account the buffer they use. Without a good buffer, the activity of the component they want to study may decrease.

Buffers are chemicals that help a liquid resist changing its acidic properties when other chemicals are added that will normally cause a change in these properties. Buffers are essential for living cells. This is because buffers maintain the right pH of a liquid.What is pH? It's a measure of how acidic a liquid is. For example, lemon juice has a low pH of 2 to 3 and is very acidic -- so is the juice in your stomach that breaks down food. Since acidic liquids can destroy proteins, and cells are chock-full of proteins, cells need to have buffers inside and outside them in order to protect their protein machines. The pH inside a cell is about 7, which is considered neutral like pure water.