BILE-SALT MICELLES AS LIQUID MEMBRANES

It has been demonstrated that when bile salts, which are excellent surfactants of biochemical importance, are added to water or aqueous solutions flowing through a membrane, cellulose acetate millipore filter in the present case, a surfactant layer liquid membrane is formed at the interface between the membrane and the solution. The data reveal that as the concentration of the surfactant is increased the supporting membrane, i. e. the cellulose acetate millipore filter gets progressively covered with the liquid membrane and at critical micelle concentration coverage of the supporting membrane with the liquid membrane is complete. The area of the supporting membrane covered at concentration of the surfactant is increased the supporting been estimated. It can be concluded that when the concentration of the surfactant is half the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the area covered is half of that covered at CMC. The liquid membranes developed reduce both fluxes through the supporting membrane, namely that of salt and water. Values of the filteration coefficient, reflection coefficient and the salt permeability of the liquid membrane have been estimated. The bile salt used in the present study is sodium deoxy cholate. © Copyright by Walter de Gruyter & Co.