LAUSR

Abstract The phase diagrams of six different polyethylene glycol (PEG)–salt aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) were measured at T = 298.15 K and p = 1 bar. PEG of different molecular weight (4000, 6000 and 8000) and organic salts (potassium citrate, potassium sodium tartrate) were used to form the biphasic systems. The results were compared with data for PEG–sodium citrate ATPS, reported in the literature (PEG 4000, PEG 6000) and measured in this work (PEG 8000). The partition of four dinitrophenyl-amino acids was measured in these ATPS for different tie-line lengths. Based on these data, cation and anion effects were evaluated in terms of the relative hydrophobicity of the phases using ΔG*(CH2) calculations. The distribution coefficients have been obtained spectrophotometrically. Studies on the partitioning indicate the advantage of citrate salts over tartrate salts as well as sodium-based salts over potassium-based salts. This consistently results from the (liquid-liquid) phase behaviour of these systems.