Investigating effects from restricted diffusion in multi-component diffusion data

Abstract

We have investigated model systems in which effects from non-Gaussian restricted diffusion could be separated from effects caused by multiple diffusion coefficients. We applied various models to analyze the experimental data. An analysis based on multi-exponential models does not account correctly for effects caused by restricted diffusion in a system with multiple compartments. However, separating the components due to differences in dynamic behavior prior to the diffusion analysis, combined with a diffusion analysis based on the second cumulant approximation, was more robust, and was able to handle effects from restricted diffusion in the presence of multi-component diffusion.