Octanol as a reference model for non-aqueous phases

The 1-octanol/water system provides empirical descriptors of the lipophilicity of compounds that work in QSAR analyses (Table 1.1), even though the principal nature of the underlying processes is not yet thoroughly understood. 

The water-saturated 1-octanol phase resembles natural non-polar phases in such that its polarity is similar to that of biological membranes and the OH-function of 1-octanol is assumed to model the hydrogen-bonding donor/acceptor and dipolar effects of real macromolecular systems. 

Membrane analogous polarity H-bond donor/acceptor capacity Because of water content in 1-octanol phase no desolvatization of polar moieties 

Very low vapour pressure and UV-transparency facilitate experimental determinations Large database available 

Bulk phase without structure Not adopted for inorganic pollutants Determination in the range 0 and 5 subject to large uncertainties Strongly dependent on ionized fraction at ambient pH values 

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