Protons (H+) are translocated through biological membranes as part of many biological processes. I'm not an expert in chemistry, but I know that H+ associate to water forming hydronium (H3O+). If you pump H+, you have H3O+ at one side and the corresponding OH- at the other side. Therefore, H+ movement should not have osmotic effects by itself. Am I right?
Dear Felipe.The solution should be an excess of protons on one side of the membrane as compared to water. Osmotically active acid solutions. Anion exchange membranes are notoriously permeable to asid, and diffusion dialysis exploits this property to separate asids from salts.
Best regards.
Although protons are pumped across biological membranes by active processes, the resulting proton gradient does not necessarily have to result in an osmotic gradient because there can be compensatory movement of other substances by the same or other transporters to maintain the desired osmolarity of the cell or organelle. Bacterial cells, for example, transport many osmotically active substances in and out of the cell, including protons.
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