Solubility of NH3 and apparent pK of NH4+ in human plasma, isotonic salt solutions and water at 37 degrees C.

The solubility of ammonia, alphaNH3 (mM/mmHg), was determined at 37 degrees C and low ammonia partial pressure (0.02-1 mmHg) in pure water (n =24) as 46.70+/-0.40; aqueous isotonic salt solutions (n = 7) as 46.8+/-0.81; and human plasma (n = 5) as 42.0+/-0.66. The last figure increases to 45.3+/-0.63 if expressed in molal units (mmol/kg plasma water x mmHg) instead of molarity with respect to the water content of the plasma (mean from four healthy and fasting donors: 0.908+0.005 kg H2O/kg plasma; mean density at 37 degrees C: 1.020+/-0.002 kg/l). In pure water, the solubility value is the mean of three different methods: (a) extrapolation of the salting-out effect of ammonia in aqueous NaOH…