LIQUID-LIQUID EQUILIBRIUM BEHAVIOR OF MEDIUM CHAIN FATTY ACIDS IN ELECTROLYTE SOLUTIONS

The absorption of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) depends on the solubility of these components in the gastric fluid. Parameters such as the total MCFA concentration, carboxyl ionization level, and carbon chain length affect the solubility of these molecules. This present study aimed at investigating the effect of electrolyte solutions presented in gastric digestion (sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride) on the solubility of MCFA (caproic and caprylic acids). The results obtained here showed that the increasing of salts concentrations decrease the mutual solubility of systems except for sodium bicarbonate. We also observed that the conventional version of the thermodynamic UNIQUAC model was able to correlate the liquid-liquid phase behavior of such electrolyte systems.