DETECTION THRESHOLDS OF POTASSIUM-SALTS ARE RELATED TO THE MOLAR CONDUCTIVITY OF THE ANION

In a previous study, we found that human taste detection thresholds fo r Na+ salts were linearly correlated with molar conductivity values at infinite dilution of their anions. In the present study, detection th reshold concentrations for potassium salts were also found to be linea rly correlated (r = -0.92) with the molar conductivity of the anion of the salt. Detection thresholds were determined here for nine potassiu m salts with the same anions as the sodium salts previously tested. Th e mean detection thresholds for these potassium salts were found to be : K Acetate (0.00311 M), K Carbonate (0.00286 M), K Chloride (0.00242 M), K Citrate (0.000300 M), K Phosphate (0.00196 M), K Sulfate (0.0009 0 M), K Tartrate (0.00164 M), K Glutamate (0.00153 M), and K Ascorbate (0.00375 M). The rank order correlation between the detection thresho ld values for sodium and potassium salts was 0.88. This finding sugges ts that detection thresholds for both Na+ and K+ salts are determined by the charge mobility of the anion.