Highly diluted aqueous solutions: Formation of nano-sized molecular assemblies (nanoassociates)

Abstract

Based on experimental data obtained using a combination of physicochemical techniques (dynamic light scattering, microelectrophoresis, conductivity, surface tension, pH, dielectric constant, polarimetric measurements, atomic force microscopy, and UV and EPR spectroscopy) a previously unknown fundamental phenomenon was discovered: the formation of nanometer-sized molecular assemblies (nanoassociates) in low-concentration aqueous solution, which were prepared by serial dilution. The formation and rearrangement of nanoassociates in solutions of different concentrations can be considered as a major factor controlling the physicochemical and, probably, specific biological properties of diluted aqueous solutions. The formation of nanoassociates is triggered by the solute under certain conditions, the most important of which are the specific solute structure, the presence of external physical fields (geomagnetic and low-frequency electromagnetic), and the solution preparation procedure.