Solute-induced retardation of water dynamics probed directly by terahertz spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: The dynamics of water surrounding a solute is of fundamental importance in chemistry and biology. The properties of water molecules near the surface of a bio-molecule have been the subject of numerous, sometimes controversial experimental and theoretical studies, with some suggesting the existence of rather rigid water structures around carbohydrates and proteins [Pal, S. K., Peon, J., Bagchi, B. and Zewail A. H. (2002) J. Phys. Chem. B 106, 12376-12395]. Hydrogen bond rearrangement in water occurs on the picosecond time scale, so relevant experiments must access these times. Here, we show that terahertz spectroscopy can directly investigate hydration layers. By a precise measurement of absorption coefficients between 2.3 THz and 2.9 THz we could determine the size and the characteristics

SUBMITTER: Heugen U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1567875 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature