Direct evidence for the electroconvective mechanism of neutral amino acid transport during electrodialysis

For the first time, direct evidence was obtained using laser interferometry and flicker-noise spectroscopy that the main cause of the increase in the transport of amino acids through a sulfonated cation-exchange membrane in intense current modes is electroconvection. The turbulent nature of electroconvective vortices at the solution/membrane interface, acidification of the solution in the demineralization compartment and a substantial intensification of amino acid fluxes under over-limiting current modes were revealed. This indicates the electroconvective destruction of the barrier effect of the solution layer with a high pH value near the cation-exchange membrane.