Apparent molar heat capacities and volumes of some aqueous solutions of aliphatic amino acids at 288.15, 298.15, 313.15, and 328.15 K

The thermodynamics of amino acid systems are key to the understanding of protein chemistry. We have found that many previous studies of the apparent molar volumes and heat capacities of aqueous solutions of amino acids were conducted at the standard temperature of 298.15 K. This does not allow for the fact that most biological processes occur at temperatures removed from this standard condition.In an attempt to address this imbalance we have measured densities and heat capacities for aqueous solutions of glycine, L-alanine, L-serine, and L-threonine at 288.15, 298.15, 313.15, and 328.15 K using a Picker flow microcalorimeter. Apparent molar volumes and heat capacities, and the associated standard state partial molar properties have been calculated. Constant pressure variations of revised Helgeson, Kirkham, and Flowers equations have been fitted to calculated standard state volumes and heat capacities over the temperature range 288.15 to 328.15 K. These equations may be used to estimate standard state volumes and heat capacities, and hence equilibrium constants, for aqueous amino acid systems at higher temperatures.