Diffusion of methylene blue organic cation in the polymeric matrix of cell walls of the crustose lichen Cladonia rangiferina (L.) F. H. Wigg.

Abstract

The diffusion within the polymeric matrix of the cell wall is a process that determines the possibility and the rate of ion penetration into cell. In this work, we quantitatively determined the diffusion of Methylene Blue cation within the cell walls isolated from the crustose lichen Cladonia rangiferina (L.) F. H. Wigg. and its possible contribution to the processes of absorption into the lichen thalli. The swelling coefficient of the cell wall matrix and the diffusion coefficient of the organic cation within the cell walls were determined. Our results show that lichen cell walls are characterized by a higher crosslinking degree and a smaller diffusion coefficient than plants.