THE SWELLING AND OSMOTIC PRESSURE OF GELATIN IN SALT SOLUTIONS

Abstract

1. The swelling and the osmotic pressure of gelatin at pH 4.7 have been measured in the presence of a number of salts. 2. The effect of the salts on the swelling is closely paralleled by the effect on the osmotic pressure, and the bulk modulus of the gelatin particles calculated from these figures is constant up to an increase in volume of about 800 per cent. As soon as any of the salts increase the swelling beyond this point, the bulk. modulus decreases. This is interpreted as showing that the elastic limit has been exceeded. 3. Gelatin swollen in acid returns to its original volume after removal of the acid, while gelatin swollen in salt solution does not do so. This is the expected result if, as stated above, the elastic limit had been exceeded in the salt solution. 4. The modulus of elasticity of gelatin swollen in salt solutions varies in the same way as the bulk modulus calculated from the osmotic pressure and the swelling. 5. The increase in osmotic pressure caused by the salt is reversible on removal of the salt. 6. The observed osmotic pressure is much greater than the osmotic pressure calculated from the Donnan equilibrium except in the case of AlCl3, where the calculated and observed pressures agree quite closely. 7. The increase in swelling in salt solutions is due to an increase in osmotic pressure. This increase is probably due to a change in the osmotic pressure of the gelatin itself rather than to a difference in ion concentration.