Measuring diffusion of xenon in solution with hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR

A hyperpolarized 129Xe Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technique for measuring diffusion of xenon in solution is presented. The dramatically enhanced NMR signal of hyperpolarized 129Xe makes it possible to measure the xenon self-diffusion coefficient with a single-shot NMR experiment. Diffusion constants of xenon in various solvents are reported. A value of (2.2±0.4)×10−5 cm2 s−1 was measured for xenon in water at room temperature. The potential applications of this technique to in vivo experiments are discussed.