The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology

The flow of thermal energy in liquids is associated with the development of ponderomotive forces. In non-isothermal ionic or molecular solutions a drift of the disperse phase is thus produced (thermal diffusion). It is discussed here how thermal diffusion may have enriched or, respectively, deplete...

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Main Authors: F.S. Gaeta, D.G. Mita
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Swiss Chemical Society 1976-05-01
Series:CHIMIA
Online Access:https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/article/view/9310
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author F.S. Gaeta
D.G. Mita
author_facet F.S. Gaeta
D.G. Mita
author_sort F.S. Gaeta
collection DOAJ
description The flow of thermal energy in liquids is associated with the development of ponderomotive forces. In non-isothermal ionic or molecular solutions a drift of the disperse phase is thus produced (thermal diffusion). It is discussed here how thermal diffusion may have enriched or, respectively, depleted the primeval soup in some of the various materials originally present in the oceans. In particular life would, accordingly, have been reared in a potassium-enriched, sodiumdepleted cradle. The flow of heat across permeable partitions also causes processes of active transport of matter, which turn out to be closely related to thermal diffusion. These phenomena have been labelled by us with the name of “Thermodialysis”. It is further suggested here that the flux of metabolic heat through biological membranes produces active transport in living systems in a way analogous to the one which we have demonstrated to work in artificial porous septa. Localized sources of heat consisting in sites of enzymatic activity situated near to or in the cellular membrane itself, could in turn contribute intense pulsed fluxes of heat right at the site of the hypothetical membrane “pores”. Some probable characteristics of such biological“ pores” are also briefly discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-4cb4abf29c974f7d9fa85872b353df942025-08-20T02:20:26ZdeuSwiss Chemical SocietyCHIMIA0009-42932673-24241976-05-0130510.2533/chimia.1976.261The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in BiologyF.S. Gaeta0D.G. Mita1International Institute of Genetics and Biophysics of C.N. R., NapoliInternational Institute of Genetics and Biophysics of C.N. R., Napoli The flow of thermal energy in liquids is associated with the development of ponderomotive forces. In non-isothermal ionic or molecular solutions a drift of the disperse phase is thus produced (thermal diffusion). It is discussed here how thermal diffusion may have enriched or, respectively, depleted the primeval soup in some of the various materials originally present in the oceans. In particular life would, accordingly, have been reared in a potassium-enriched, sodiumdepleted cradle. The flow of heat across permeable partitions also causes processes of active transport of matter, which turn out to be closely related to thermal diffusion. These phenomena have been labelled by us with the name of “Thermodialysis”. It is further suggested here that the flux of metabolic heat through biological membranes produces active transport in living systems in a way analogous to the one which we have demonstrated to work in artificial porous septa. Localized sources of heat consisting in sites of enzymatic activity situated near to or in the cellular membrane itself, could in turn contribute intense pulsed fluxes of heat right at the site of the hypothetical membrane “pores”. Some probable characteristics of such biological“ pores” are also briefly discussed. https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/article/view/9310
spellingShingle F.S. Gaeta
D.G. Mita
The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
CHIMIA
title The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
title_full The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
title_fullStr The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
title_full_unstemmed The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
title_short The Process of Thermodialysis and Some of its Possible Consequences in Biology
title_sort process of thermodialysis and some of its possible consequences in biology
url https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/article/view/9310
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