The effect of 2,4-dinitrophenol on the properties of thin phospholipid films

Summary The properties of a system consisting of a thin phospholipid film separating two electrolyte solutions containing 1mm 2,4-dinitrophenol have been studied. Both the variation of electrical conductance as a function of pH, keeping the pH the same on both sides of the membrane, and the nonlinear variation of electrical potential difference as a function of pH difference across the membrane have been explained in terms of lipid-soluble complexes of the typeXP₂^– whereX is a cation andP dinitrophenate. The maximum conductance was found to be 1.4×10^–5 mhos cm^–2 at pH 4.2.