Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy of Synthetic Biological Membranes under UV Peroxidative Stress

Date of Award

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Johal, Malkiat

Keywords

Synthetic Biological Membrane, ATR-FTIR, Ozone

Area of Concentration

Chemistry

Abstract

UV-patteming is a technique that has proved useful in creating stable holes of a desired two dimensional architecture in self-assembled lipid bilayers. However, conclusive chemical evidence that the UV-patterning process destroys the lipids where these holes are created has yet to be provided. The original purpose of this research was to establish that lipids arranged in multilayers are degraded by UV peroxidative stress. This work demonstrates that Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is a convenient method to determine whether hydrated lipids tethered to a solid hydrophilic substrate are fully oxidized using the UV-patteming technique. In this work, multilayers of five lipids are constructed at the interface between a ZnSe solid substrate and an aqueous phase. The ZnSe acts both as a hydrophilic substrate and as an internal reflection element for ATR-FTIR studies. Infrared spectra of the multilayer films as a function of UV exposure time were then collected in situ. Direct chemical proof of the degradation of all the lipid multilayers exposed to UV light was provided. This work also established elevated levels of ozone in aqueous solution after exposure to UV light. Ozone is known to play an important role in the oxidative degradation of the lipid multilayers.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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