engleski

An electrochemical approach to organic aggregation

At an electrode/seawater interface, surface-active organic molecules can be detected and characterized through their adsorption, while surface-active organic particles ( 1  m) can be simultaneously detected and characterized through their attachment. Frequency of electrical attachment signals reflects the abundance of particles. Amplitude and shape of each attachment signal depends upon the reactivity and interfacial area of attachment (size) of a single particle. For a population of particles, potential of appearance of attachment signals serves to estimate the critical interfacial tension of attachment and energy of adhesion. We investigate attachment signals of single cells, of exopolymeric particles and aggregates formed in bacterial cultures and compare them with signals of surface active particles that are abundant (up to 105/ml) in Northern Adriatic. The electrochemical approach, although a priori lacking molecular specificity, has an advantage over other recently developed techniques in directly measuring interfacial properties of single particles that are critical for the onset of aggregation phenomena.

attachment signals; dropping mercury electrode; Northern Adriatic; surface-active particles

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