Morris London

Concentration of biochemical compounds in charged hydrating systems

Abstract Data are presented showing that simple compounds and ions such as hexoses, amino acids, and urate may be physically excluded from the water which hydrates simple proteins in solution. This is true for albumin and whole serum. Cation-exchange resins can behave similarly, and certain anion-exchange resins behave in opposite fashion. In their hydroxide form they may concentrate many of these substances in the hydrating water. This partition is regulated by pH and anion concentration. The observed phenomena are explained in terms of the solubility of these substances in the hydrating water and by alterations in the organization of hydrating water by the charged groupings. The significance of these findings is discussed with reference to biological systems.