Calculations of Bioelectric Potentials

Interest in the study of Halicystis and of Valonia has been stimulated by discoveries of marked contrasts and striking similarities existing side by side. This is illustrated by new experiments with the alkali metals and alkaline earths. In Halicystis the apparent mobilities of K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+), and Li(+) (calculated by means of Henderson's equation from changes in P.D. produced by replacing sea water by a mixture of equal parts of sea water and 0.6 M of various chlorides) are as follows, u(K), = 16, u(Rb) = 16, u(Cs) = 4.4, and u(Li) = 0.2; u(Na) is taken as 0.2. These values resemble those in Valonia except that in the latter u(Cs) is about 0.2. No calculation is made for u(NH(NH4) ), because in these experiments even at low pH so much NH(3) is present that the sign of the P.D. may reverse. This does not happen with Valonia. According to Blinks, NH(4) (+) at pH 5 in low concentrations acts like K(+). The calculation gives u(Mg) = 1.9 which is similar to the value found for Valonia. No calculation can be made for CaCl(2) since it produces protoplasmic alterations and in consequence Henderson's equation does not apply. This differs from Valonia. Evidently these plants agree closely in some aspects of electrical behavior but differ widely in others.