Use of confocal Raman spectroscopy to investigate interaction of encapsulated butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) with phospholipid liposomes.

USE OF CONFOCAL RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY TO INVESTIGATE INTERACTION OF ENCAPSULATED BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA) WITH PHOSPHOLIPID LIPOSOMES. AFEF JANEN, DEPT. OF PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, AND MATHEMATICS, LLOYD T. WALKER, DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY, NORMAL, AL, 35762

It has been shown that Raman spectroscopy can be used to locate incorporated additives within a lipid bilayer. The purpose of this research was to investigate molecular interactions between the encapsulated butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the liposomal structure by Raman spectroscopy. By use of a modified dehydration-rehydration method, BHA was dissolved in methanol and incorporated into the phospholipid liposomes. Confocal Raman analysis of interactions was generated on the different regions of the phospholipid liposome. The spectra of the BHA compared to the BHA in methanol were similar. Raman spectra of phospholipid liposomes with and without BHA were recorded where the C-N stretching region in the head group shows a major band at 714 cm-1 and a vibration at 695 cm-1, a characteristic of BHA ring. Raman spectroscopy enabled us to produce spectra of the different components of the lipid bilayer and the antioxidant BHA. The findings showed that there was a difference between Raman spectra of lipid capsules and lipid capsules containing BHA. Although the confocal Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that there was an interaction between the antioxidant BHA and phospholipid liposomes, additional experiments need to be performed to identify the location of the BHA within the lipid bilayer.