A raman spectroscopic study of the interactions of 13 GHz microwave irradiation with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine dispersions

Summary In order to clarify the effect of 13 GHz microwave irradiation upon model membranes, vibrational Raman spectroscopy was performed for multilamellar dispersions of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, before and after irradiation. Raman spectra of the phospholipid dispersions were recorded for the C−H ((2800⊢3100)cm⁻¹) and the C−C ((1050⊢1150)cm⁻¹) stretching modes, above the transition temperatureT _m of the phospholipid, before and after microwave irradiation. An intensity comparison between the irradiated and nonirradiated sample revealed an increase in the intensity ratioI ₂₉₃₀/I ₂₈₈₀ and a small perturbation in the C−C stretching region, induced by microwaves. It seems reasonable to assume that microwave irradiation brings about a change in lateral chain-chain interactions, which is possibly due to induced changes at bilayer curvature.