Hofmeister Effects in Membrane Biology: The Role of Ionic Dispersion Potentials

Abstract

The Hofmeister effects in membrane biology were studied. The influence of ionic dispersion potentials on the binding of peptides to memebranes was also demonstrated. It was shown that the large attractive ionic disperion potentials acting on anions at biological concentrations result in negative interfacial tension changes. It was shown why the ionic dispersion potential near an oil-water interface was similar to the chemical potential of different n-alkanes.