MICROOSMOSIS, A CHAOTIC PHENOMENON OF WATER AND SOLUTES IN GELS

Gels of the Biogel P series, which have previously been shown to conta in low-density water with highly selective solvent properties, have be en used to examine the question of how solutes and water come to equil ibrium in such environments. The internal water content of gel beads w as measured as a function of time in the presence of no solutes, singl e solutes, and combinations of solutes. In the presence of 10 mM KNO3 (or of KCl or KH2PO4) which are selectively accumulated into stretched water adjacent to poorly hydrogen bonding surfaces, internal volume i ncreased steadily for up to 17 days. In the absence of small solute or in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, internal volume became constant after two days. With mixed solutes, such as a bicarbonate-buffered Ringer's solution or 5 mM K phosphate pH 7, the internal volume oscillated wit h a period of days.