Oxygen permeability of methemoglobin solutions soaked in Millipore filters

For the measurement of gas diffusion through liquids, Millipore filters are an interesting and easy tool. They keep the fluid in place, and layer thickness can be determined precisely and easily. We soaked Millipore type SM filters with solutions containing 1.66 mmol/l methemoglobin to measure the oxygen permeability at 25 degrees C, and compared the results with former measurements in liquid layers. Data scattered between 1.0 and 1.5 10(-11) mol X m-1 X kPa-1 X sec-1 and a decrease with increasing KCl concentration, as found for liquid layers, could neither be confirmed nor rejected. Nitrogen/oxygen permeability ratio of 0.465 +/- 0.016 SE was in agreement with literature data.