Solubilization of organic molecules in SDS micelles studied by static fluorescence methods

Matrix-assisted diffusion-ordered spectroscopy: mixture resolution by NMR using SDS micelles

Diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) is a powerful technique for mixture analysis, but in its basic form it cannot separate the component spectra for species with very similar diffusion coefficients. It has been recently demonstrated that the component spectra of a mixture of isomers with nearly identical diffusion coefficients (the three dihydroxybenzenes) can be resolved using matrix-assisted DOSY (MAD), in which diffusion is perturbed by the addition of a co-solute such as a surfactant [R. Evans, S. Haiber, M. Nilsson, G. A. Morris, Anal. Chem. 2009, 81, 4548-4550]. However, little is known about the conditions required for such a separation, for example, the concentrations and concentration ratios of surfactant and solutes. The aim of this study was to explore the concentration range over which matrix-assisted DOSY using the surfactant SDS can achieve diffusion resolution of a simple model set of isomers, the monomethoxyphenols. The results show that the separation is remarkably robust with respect to both the concentrations and the concentration ratios of surfactant and solutes, supporting the idea that MAD may become a valuable tool for mixture analysis.

Esterification reactions catalyzed by lipases in microemulsions: the role of enzyme localization in relation to its selectivity

The activity of lipases from Rhizopus delemar, Rhizopus arrhizus, and Penicillium simplicissimum entrapped in microemulsions formulated by bis-(2-ethylhexyl)sulfo-succinate sodium salt (AOT) in isooctane has been studied in esterification reactions of various aliphatic alcohols with fatty acids. The effect of the nature of the fatty acids (chain length) and of the alcohols (primary, secondary, or tertiary; chain length; cyclic structures) on the lipase activities was investigated in relation to the reverse micellar structure. The lipases tested showed a selectivity regarding the structure of the substrates used when hosted in the AOT/isooctane microemulsion systems. Penicillium simplicissimum lipase showed higher reaction rates in the esterification of long chain alcohols as well as secondary alcohols. Primary alcohols had a low reaction rate and tertiary a very slow rate of esterification. Long chain fatty acids were better catalyzed as compared to the shorter ones. Rhizopus delemar and R. arrhizus lipases showed a preference for the esterification of short chain primary alcohols, while the secondary alcohols had a low rate of esterification and the tertiary ones could not be converted. The reaction of medium chain length fatty acids was also better catalyzed than in the case of the long ones. The observed lipase selectivity appeared to be related to the localization of the enzyme molecule within the micellar microstructure due to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the protein. The reverse micellar structural characteristics, as well as the localization of the enzyme, were examined by fluorescence quenching measurements and spectroscopical studies.

Lecithin organogels used as bioactive compounds carriers. A microdomain properties investigation

Organogels were obtained by adding small amounts of water to a solution of lecithin in organic solvents. Either isooctane or isopropyl palmitate and isopropyl myristate were used as the continuous organic phase of the gels. EPR spectroscopy using both DSA membrane-sensitive and lipophilic spin probes was applied to define the dynamic structure of the surfactant monolayer and the continuous oil phase of lecithin organogels. It was found that by increasing the water quantity, an increase of the polar head area per lecithin molecule was induced, and as a consequence the total interface expanded. It was found that the use of esters as organic solvents induced a decrease of the size of the dispersed structures. The interconnection of the aqueous microdomains and their dynamics were monitored by both static and time-resolved fluorescence quenching spectroscopy using Ru(bipy)32+ as fluorophore and Fe(CN)63- as quencher. It was found that the rates of inter- and/or intra-micellar exchange of water molecules were very slow because they appeared quite immobilized close to the lecithin polar heads. According to the results of the dynamic studies, appropriate organogels were formulated and used to incorporate model bioactive compounds with medicinal or cosmetic interest such as caffeine and theophylline. When these systems were tested for trans-membrane diffusion, they showed a 24 h permeation of 20% and 35%, respectively.

Interaction of flavonoids within organized molecular assemblies of anionic surfactant

The interaction of various flavonoids (compounds having C6-C3-C6 configuration) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) an anionic surfactant was studied through absorption spectroscopy as a function of the concentration of surfactant above and below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactant. A mechanism was proposed for the interaction between these flavonoids and anionic surfactants. The approximate number of additive molecules (flavonoids) incorporated per micelle was estimated at a particular concentration of SDS. Incorporation of additive in micelles shifts the UV absorption bands towards higher wavelengths of different magnitude. The spectral shift also depends upon the nature of the surfactant head group. The absorption spectra of the flavonoids in aqueous solution and in methanol are also reported.

Effect of N-glycinylmaleamic acid on microstructural characteristics and solubilization properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate micellar assemblies

The cosurfactant activity of N-glycinylmaleamic acid (NGMA) in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles has been demonstrated. The complementary techniques of electron spin resonance (ESR) and fluorescence spectroscopy have been used to draw information on hydration index (H), microviscosity (eta), and aggregation number (N) of micellar assemblies. The estimate of the critical micelle concentration of SDS in the presence of NGMA suggests a synergistic effect of NGMA. The enhanced solubilization of butyl propionate in the presence of NGMA in SDS micelles is explained on the basis of availability of larger interfacial area calculated from a simple spherical geometric model, combined with a low hydrophilicity index as estimated from ESR. Thus, addition of NGMA contributes to an increase of about 50% in ratio of area of polar shell (AP)/volume of hydration (Vh) ratio. The decrease in H accompanied by a decrease in eta with the incorporation of butyl propionate probably arises from solubilization of a butyl component inside the core with the adsorption of propionate ester on the interface.

Structural and Dynamic Properties of Lecithin-Alcohol Based w/o Microemulsions: A Luminescence Quenching Study

Water-in-oil microemulsions have been made with lecithin in the presence of some alcohols. The structure of the microemulsions has been studied by steady-state and time-resolved analysis of the luminescence quenching of Ru(bipy)32+ by Fe(CN)63-. We found that well-defined microemulsions can be made only in the presence of short-chain alcohols such as propanol-1 and butanol-1. There exists a threshold for water content in order to obtain typical reverse micelles. Thus in the case of propanol-1, water/surfactant ratio wo should be above 20. By varying water content in the range 20 < wo </= 40, the microemulsion droplets suffer dramatic structural changes and the system passes through a percolation threshold. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Spectral properties of ionic derivatives of pyrene and their aggregates with anionic surfactant and polyelectrolyte

A multifunctional probe based on pyrene, the chloride of the 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxy-piperidinium ester of 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid, at a concentration of 5 × 10−5 mol dm−3 exhibits excimer-like green emission with the maximum at 480 nm in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate below its critical micelle concentration. A similar effect has been observed for this probe in the presence of the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid in the same concentration range. 1-Pyrenemethylammonium chloride exhibits a broad green excimer-like emission for sodium dodecylsulfate but not for the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. The quenching constants of the monomeric and excimer-like emissions were determined for acrylamide, 1-oxo-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidine, potassium iodide, and copper(II) sulfate, representing neutral, ionic, and free-radical types of quenchers. The rate constants of quenching for N-oxyl radicals indicate that the monomeric emission from both water-soluble probes is diffusion controlled. For other types of quenchers the rate constant of bimolecular quenching is lower. The quenching of the excimer-like emission of an aggregate of the chloride of the 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidinium ester of 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid is less efficient than in the case of 1-pyrenemethylammonium chloride, which indicates a more packed structure of the former aggregate. Keywords: pyrene, ionic derivative, emission, micelle, aggregation, quenching.