Formation of dipole complexes in protein solutions with low concentrations of heavy metal ions: diagnostics by the method of laser radiation scattering

Abstract

The formation of macromolecular protein clusters is studied by the Rayleigh — Debye method of scattering of laser radiation in solutions containing salts of toxic heavy elements, such as lead, copper, and cadmium, at low concentrations. It is found that the mass of clusters is maximal in the region of the isoelectric point of a protein and increases with increasing the ionic strength of the solution. It is shown that clusters decompose upon heating solutions up to the temperature about of 40 °C.