Understanding specific ion effects and the Hofmeister series
Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2022 papers
Abstract
Specific ion effects (SIE), encompassing the Hofmeister Series, have been known for more than 130 years since Hofmeister and Lewith's foundational work. SIEs are ubiquitous and are observed across the medical, biological, chemical and industrial sciences. Nevertheless, no general predictive theory has yet been able to explain ion specificity across these fields; it remains impossible to predict when, how, and to what magnitude, a SIE will be observed. In part, this is due to the complexity of real systems in which ions, counterions, solvents and cosolutes all play varying roles, which give rise to anomalies and reversals in anticipated SIEs. Herein we review the historical explanations for SIE in water and the key ion properties that have been attributed to them. Systems where the Hofmeister series is perturbed or reversed are explored, as is the behaviour of ions at the liquid-vapour interface. We discuss SIEs in mixed electrolytes, nonaqueous solvents, and in highly concentrated electrolyte solutions - exciting frontiers in this field with particular relevance to biological and electrochemical applications. We conclude the perspective by summarising the challenges and opportunities facing this SIE research that highlight potential pathways towards a general predictive theory of SIE.
Related Papers
- → Beyond the Hofmeister Series: Ion-Specific Effects on Proteins and Their Biological Functions(2017)665 cited
- → Introductory Lecture: Interpreting and predicting Hofmeister salt ion and solute effects on biopolymer and model processes using the solute partitioning model(2012)127 cited
- → Water Mobility: A Bridge between the Hofmeister Series of Ions and the Friction of Zwitterionic Surfaces in Aqueous Environments(2011)29 cited
- → Hofmeister Ion Series and Its Mechanism of Action on Affecting the Behavior of Macromolecular Solutes in Aqueous Solution(2014)16 cited
- → DETERMINING QUALITY REQUIREMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION(2018)