Configurations adopted by H2O molecules: results from IR spectroscopy

Abstract

IR spectroscopy is demonstrated to be a potentially powerful technique for determining the interaction configurations of H₂O molecules in macromolecular systems. The various interaction configurations of H₂O molecules in given lipidic, carbohydrate or protein membranes, as deduced from analyses of IR spectra recorded following dedicated experimental procedures, are described. The implications of these H₂O interaction configurations for these systems are discussed and the possible extension of the method to other macromolecular systems is considered.