Octanol-Water Partition Coefficient (KOW)

The octanol-water partition coefficient is the ratio of the concentration of a chemical in octanol and in water at equilibrium and at a specified temperature. Octanol is an organic solvent that is used as a surrogate for natural organic matter. This parameter is used in many environmental studies to help determine the fate of chemicals in the environment. An example would be using the coefficient to predict the extent a contaminant will bioaccumulate in fish. The octanol-water partition coefficient has been correlated to water solubility; therefore, the water solubility of a substance can be used to estimate its octanol-water partition coefficient.