Some aspects of the enthalpy of dilution of biological polyelectrolytes

It is shown that calorimetric experiments on the dilution process of polyelectrolytes, i.e. on the excess enthalpy of electrostatic origin, can give information on the conformational state of the polymer. Analytical expression are obtained relating the enthalpy of dilution to the charge density on the polymer, from Manning's theory. The experimental data reported on some ionic biopolymers are interpreted on the basis of the theoretical prediction of the electrostatic contribution to the enthalpy of dilution in water of a polyelecrolytic salt and of a weak polyacid. The procedure outlined provides a means of calculating the actual charge/per unit length and of disclosing possible non-electrostatic effects arising from conformational transitions.