The effects of pH on the partitioning of aromatic acids in a polyethylene glycol/dextran aqueous biphasic system.

Distribution ratios of acidic, neutral, and basic compounds were determined in polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000/Dextran-75000 aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) at incremental pH values. The nature of the solute species present at each pH was identified using speciation diagrams, and it was determined that the distribution ratios were related to their charge, with maximum distribution to the upper PEG-rich phase when the neutral species were dominant. The results suggest that this ABS is tunable with simple modifications of pH leading to increasing selectivity for specific target solutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]