Donnan Equilibrium Revisited: Coupling between Ion Concentrations, Osmotic Pressure, and Donnan Potential

Abstract

This paper discusses the little-known fact that Donnan's equilibrium criteria established over 100 years ago neglected the coupling between ion concentrations and the osmotic pressure. Such coupling can be treated based on general thermodynamic considerations including the solvent equilibrium, leading to a membrane potential that consists of not only the classical Donnan potential term but also an additional term due to the osmotic pressure, and the existence of a membrane potential even when the impermeable species are not charged. This coupled treatment is in conflict with the well-established Poisson-Boltzmann equation and Nernst-Planck equation, but is consistent with the extension of these equations including the solvent effects by Freise and Schlogl, enables us to view the electrical double layer equilibrium as Donnan equilibrium.