Effect of NaCl additive on properties of aqueous PEG–sodium sulfate two-phase system

The concentrations of all components in the phases of aqueous two-phase polyethylene glycol–sodium sulfate system of a fixed composition with different concentrations of NaCl additive were determined. Solvatochromic solvent features of aqueous media in the phases of all the systems were characterized in terms of solvent dipolarity/polarizability, solvent hydrogen bond donor acidity and hydrogen bond acceptor basicity. Partitioning of a homologous series of dinitrophenylated amino acids with aliphatic alkyl side chain was examined in all the systems, and the differences between the relative hydrophobicity and electrostatic properties of the phases were quantified. These differences were described in terms of solvatochromic solvent features of the phases. The previously reported partition coefficients of twelve different nonionic compounds in all the systems were expressed in terms of solute descriptors. It is demonstrated that two solvatochromic solvent descriptors (solvent dipolarity/polarizability, and solvent hydrogen bond donor acidity) could adequately describe the partitioning of the solutes in all the systems employed.

► Phase composition of PEG–Na2SO4–water system with different NaCl amounts determined.
► Solvatochromic solvent features of aqueous media in the phases quantified.
► Hydrophobic and electrostatic properties of phases described via solvent features.
► Partition coefficients of nonionic solutes are expressed via solute descriptors.
► Solvent dipolarity/polarizability and H-bond acidity govern partitioning of solutes.