The Acid-Base/Deprotonation Equilibrium Can Be Studied with a MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST)

MicroScale thermophoresis (MST) is a rapidly developing bioanalytical technique used routinely for the examination of ligand-target affinity. It has never been used so far for the analysis of acid-base dissociation and the determination of pK(a) constant. This work is the-proof-of-concept of this new idea. It demonstrates that the pK(a) values obtained from the thermophoretic data are consistent with the reference methods. As a result, the analytical potential and utility of the MST technology can become even greater, especially if the new detection system of thermophoretic movement will be developed in the future. Even now, taking into account the necessity to use fluorescence, the proposed method may be useful in many respects.

Automated summary

This study is a proof-of-concept of using MicroScale thermophoresis (MST) for the analysis of acid-base dissociation and pK(a) constant determination. The results show that the obtained pK(a) values are consistent with reference methods, indicating the analytical potential and utility of MST technology. Future development of a new detection system for thermophoretic movement could further enhance its applications.