Exploring the behaviour of water in glycerol solutions by using delayed luminescence

Abstract

The crucial role of water in the engine of life have encouraged many researchers in studying, both theoretically and experimentally, the possible “structure” of water. Many properties of water have been related to the interplay between two distinct and interconverting structural species, namely the low-density water (LDW) and the high-density water (HDW). Supported by the results obtained with other aqueous solutions, this paper deals with the possibility of using the ultra-weak delayed luminescence (DL) to investigate water structuring in a mixture with glycerol, characterized only by hydrogen bonds between the various molecules. Spectral and temporal characteristics of DL decays give information on the two components of the mixture, by evidencing the contribution of water at glycerol concentrations close to the values used in cryopreservation. DL results have shown a correlation with LDW clusters size as determined by other researchers on the basis of neutron diffraction experiments and computational modelling, as reported in Literature.

Ph, Electric Conductivity and Delayed Luminescence Changes in Human Sera of Subjects Undergoing the Relaxation Response: A Pilot Study

“…DL seems to be closely correlated with the functional status of different biological systems studied to date [11][12][13][14][15][16] . Moreover it has been also possible to reveal structures inside liquid solutions of biological interest [17][18][19][20][21] . Although the precise origin of the DL is still a subject of debate [22][23][24][25][26][27] , these evidences suggest it may vary depending on the REDOX state of the biological system analyzed and according to its degree of homeostatic stress [27] .…”

Time‐Dependent Hydrogen Bond Network Formation in Glycerol‐Based Deep Eutectic Solvents

“…Due to enhanced thermal motions at higher temperature, [51,72] higher fluctuations of water inside the glycerol cavities are accommodated [71] . The influence of temperature on the structural arrangement of glycerol‐water aggregates is proven to be negligible, [73,74] the previously described presence of water molecules in the glycerol voids can also be confirmed at RT.…”

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“…The widespread use of such materials -chemically benign but physically strong -is an expanding technology in the pharmaceutical industry today. In fundamental research too, specialist spectroscopic techniques have revealed extended structuring in solutions of glycerol and derivatives (Grasso et al 2018).…”