Experimental study of the hydration properties of homologous disaccharides

To get some insight into the hydration mechanisms of homologous disaccharides, we report measurements on trehalose, maltose, and sucrose aqueous solutions. The interest on these systems is mainly due to the extraordinary properties of disaccharides and especially of trehalose, the most effective bio-protector against freezing and dehydration. To carry out this study we have investigated the volumetric properties of the three disaccharide solutions, by performing density and ultrasonic velocity measurements at different concentration and temperature values. What emerges from these studies is that trehalose shows, in comparison with maltose and sucrose, the greatest structural sensitivity to temperature changes and the smallest values of the partial molar volume in all the investigated temperature range, this circumstance being indicative of a more packed conformational arrangement.