Configurations adopted by H 2 O molecules: results from IR spectroscopy

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.