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Science 2 February 1996:
Vol. 271. no. 5249, pp. 624 - 626
DOI: 10.1126/science.271.5249.624
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Reports

Water-in-Carbon Dioxide Microemulsions: An Environment for Hydrophiles Including Proteins

K. P. Johnston (1),  K. L. Harrison,  M. J. Clarke,  S. M. Howdle,  M. P. Heitz,  F. V. Bright,  C. Carlier,  T. W. Randolph

Carbon dioxide in the liquid and supercritical fluid states is useful as a replacement for toxic organic solvents. However, nonvolatile hydrophilic substances such as proteins, ions, and most catalysts are insoluble. This limitation was overcome by the formation of aqueous microemulsion droplets in a carbon dioxide-continuous phase with a nontoxic ammonium carboxylate perfluoropolyether surfactant. Several spectroscopic techniques consistently indicated that the properties of the droplets approach those of bulk water. The protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) with a molecular weight of 67,000 is soluble in this microemulsion and experiences an environment similar to that of native BSA in buffer.


K. P. Johnston and K. L. Harrison, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
M. J. Clarke and S. M. Howdle, Department of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG72RD, UK.
M. P. Heitz and F. V. Bright, Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14250, USA.
C. Carlier and T. W. Randolph, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
(1) To whom correspondence should be addressed.


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