Comment on “The size and structure of selected hydrated ions and implications for ion channel selectivity” by Z.-H. Yang, RSC. Adv., 2015, 5, 1213.

Abstract

Common misconceptions about the properties of water solutions appear in the work of Yang (RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 1213). The issues addressed pertain to all aspects of the properties and behaviors of aqueous solutions of strong electrolytes: proper hydration numbers and their dependence on temperature, the extent of ion pair formation and its effect on hydration numbers, and the correct form of the equilibrium constant for ion pair formation. These aspects are fundamental for understanding the behavior of water solutions in chemistry and in biology. The present work points out the misconceptions, the faults resulting from them, and the ensuing confusion.