Observing the water molecule in macromolecules using infrared spectrometry: structure of the hydrogen bond network and hydration mechanism

The power and precision of IR spectrometry, or IR quantitative spectroscopy, to observe water molecules embedded in macromolecules, is illustrated, taking as examples the determination of the structures of the hydrogen-bond network of a dried polysaccharide, hyaluronan, of a dried protein, bovine serum albumine, and of a dried polymer, a sulfonated polyimide. We also indicate how IR spectrometry conveys original and precise information from which their hydration mechanisms can be precisely determined in terms of chemical reactions. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved