Physico-chemical properties of the association of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and bovine serum albumin mixture in aqueous-organic mixed solvents

Abstract

Herein, we have investigated the association behavior of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) using the conductivity method in H2O and H2O + organic mixed solvents at different temperatures. The association phenomenon was detected from the deviation of the conductivity changes with enhancing the surfactant concentration and changes of numerous physico-chemical properties, such as CMC, α, β and thermodynamic variables (∆G0m, ∆H0m and ∆S0m). The values of CMC for the CTAB + BSA system in 10 % (v/v) solvents follow the trend: CMCwater < CMCwater+DMSO < CMCwater+AN < CMCwater+DX < CMCwater+DMF. The interaction of BSA with CTAB is notably influenced due to a change of temperature and extent of hydration of BSA and surfactant. The obtained values of –∆G0m manifest that the association of BSA and CTAB mixture is a spontaneous process, while the values of –∆G0m in presence of 10 % (v/v) aq. organic solvents come out in the given sequence: -∆Gmo (H2O + DMSO) > ∆Gmo (H2O + DMF) > -∆Gmo (H2O + DX) > -∆Gmo (H2O + AN). The H-bonding, ion-dipole, along with the hydrophobic interactions, are believed to be the binding interactions between BSA and CTAB in the study media.