THE EFFECT OF ELECTROLYTES ON BUBBLE COALESCENCE IN WATER

A series of common electrolytes were found either to reduce the rate o f bubble coalescence in water or to have no effect. For a range of cat ions and anions, a system of combining rules emerges that characterize s the behavior of all the salts studied. The specific effects of elect rolytes on bubble coalescence may be related to their effect on water structure and hence the hydrophobic interaction. The phenomenon may ha ve applications in various fields, including decompression sickness, h ydrophobic chromatography, and possibly evolution.