Simple Method for Quantifying the Distribution of Organic Substrates between the Micellar and Aqueous Phases of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Solution

A simple technique, involving the measurement of diffusion coefficients, was used to determine partition coefficients for the distribution of a variety of organic substrates between the micellar and aqueous phases of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution. The data additionally revealed two mechanisms for the apparent diffusion of the micelles. One involved true micellar diffusion and was monitored by the use of tracer molecules. The second involved a more rapid redistribution of micelles by a mechanism involving the diffusion of individual SDS molecules. Nonpolar molecules with more than 10 heavy atoms were essentially localized in the micellar phase of 0.1 M SDS. © 1984, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved