Abstract
When a series of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons is distributed between two solvent phases, hexane and aqueous monoethanolammonium desoxycholate, it is found that the greater is the carcinogenicity of the hydrocarbon toward the skin of the mouse, the higher is its solubility in the aqueous phase. The behavior suggests that the aqueous solubilization may depend upon a favorable geometry whereby salts of polynuclear acids like desoxycholic acids may include the hydrocarbon into their micellar ions. The differences in phase distribution have been utilized to effect partial separation by means of Craig countercurrent extraction.