ELECTROKINETIC PHENOMENA : I. THE ADSORPTION OF SERUM PROTEINS BY QUARTZ AND PARAFFIN OIL

1. The effect of human and rabbit sera on the cataphoretic mobility of glass and quartz particles, and of paraffin oil droplets, was studied in serum dilutions (with 0.85 per cent NaCl) from 1:50 to 1:1,000,000, over a pH range of 3.6 to 9.3. 2. Under the conditions described, these various types of particles adsorbed protein partially or completely from the most dilute solution giving these particles electrokinetic properties characteristic of certain proteins, probably here those of serum albumin. 3. Quartz particles and paraffin oil droplets both have an isoelectric point between 4.7 and 4.8 in a 1:50 serum dilution. 4. The biological importance of these findings is discussed. 5. A non-polarizable electrode composed of See PDF for Structure is described for use with cataphoresis cells.