An estimate of the enthalpic contribution to the interaction between dextran and albumin

Abstract

It is demonstrated that exclusion phenomena appear to dominate the interaction of dextran with albumin in aqueous solution. The enthalpic contribution to the interaction coefficient describing dextran/albumin mixtures is small, although its determination was subject to considerable error. These results support the earlier assumptions of the type of interaction between the two polymers. The conclusions are primarily based on the interpretation of the temperature-dependence of the interaction coefficient, as measured by light-scattering in the temperature range 6–33 degrees C. Enthalpy of dilution measurements of dextran/albumin mixtures by microcalorimetry were in qualitative agreement with the light-scattering data.