Equilibria effects in the dynamic ion-exchange separation of metal ions

Summary Equilibria occurring during the dynamic ion exchange separation of metal ions were examined, and their effect on the chromatography of the metal ions was evaluated. Bonded reversed-phase silica, pure organic reversed phase, and silica columns were used to differentiate between the role of silica and the reverse phase. The results show that system peaks had the most important influence on the applicability of dynamic exchangers to quantitative metal ion determinations. The response of system peaks to sample composition (pH, ionic strength, matrix effects) was complicated and could not be predicted easily. Equilibria effects that can cause analytical errors were identified and recommendations for elimination of such errors are given.Dedicated to Professor S. R. Lipsky on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Two-dimensional Monte Carlo studies of lipid molecules in a bilayer membrane

We present a new model to study in-plane liquid properties of lipid membranes. The different conformations of lipids are represented by a seven-state system of hard triatomic particles, or triples, of varying lengths which correspond to the different cross-sectional areas of the lipids in the plane of the membrane. Two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations are performed in both the constant NVT and NPT ensembles. The distribution of states has a strong density dependence and a small temperature dependence over the biologically relevant range. There is no long range orientational order in the systems before freezing. The short range orientational order increases with density. Widom's particle insertion method is used to obtain the excess chemical potential of the system for the seven states. These values, along with the pressure, are in excellent agreement with estimates from scaled particle theory.