Diffusion transport of sucrose, ß-alanine and bovine serum albumin in aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl cellulose

Diffusion of sucrose, ß-alanine and bovine serum albumin has been studied in moderately concentrated aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), both at 25° (good solvent conditions) and at 36° (approaching theta solvent conditions). For sucrose, the diffusion rate is almost independent of the concentration of HPC. For the two other diffusants, the diffusion rate decreases significantly when the concentration of HPC is increased; the decrease is more pronounced at 36° than at 25°. The results are discussed qualitatively in the light of recent theoretical models.