It is sometimes suggested that ammonium ions are deprotonated to form ammonia molecules so that the ammonia molecules can cross the non-polar membranes of cells. But given that ammonia in its non-ionised form is still quite polar it could be that ammonia shares membrane portals with ions or it could change into a non-polar configuration. In this experiment ammonia is examined with UV and NMR spectra to see if in non-polar environments, ammonia remains in a polar tetrahedral conformation or if it is transformed into a non-polar planar configuration so that it can easily cross non-polar membranes.

membrane transport, ammonia