Organization of mixed monomolecular layers formed with the xanthophyll pigments lutein or zeaxanthin and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine at the argon-water interface.

Two-component monomolecular layers were formed with two xanthophyll pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), at the argon-water interface. Analysis of the mean molecular area parameters versus molar fraction of the xanthophyll component shows large overadditivity (ca. 50 A2 in the case of zeaxanthin and 150 A2 in the case of lutein) in the region of low molar fractions of carotenoids (maximum at 5 mol% in the case of zeaxanthin and at 20 mol% in the case of lutein). The experimental values of a mean molecular area are in good agreement with the values expected, based on the additivity rule at high molar percentages of the xanthophylls. Absorption spectroscopy of a single monolayer at the argon-water interface in the UV-Vis region has also been applied to analyze the formation of molecular assemblies of lutein in monomolecular films. The differences in the organization of lutein-DPPC and zeaxanthin-DPPC monolayers are interpreted in terms of the aggregation of xanthophyll pigments in the layers and different orientation of both xanthophylls at the interface. The results are discussed in relation to possible physiological functions of lutein and zeaxanthin in the membranes of the retina of an eye.