A comparative study of the application of the method of least-squares in the potentiometric determination of protonation constants.

Methods of simple and multiple linear regression applied to the potentiometric determination of protonation constants of diprotic and triprotic acids are studied critically. The best way of fitting the data, according to the order of magnitude of the constants, is established. The conclusions are checked by calculating the protonation constants of succinic and citric acids.