Fluorescent properties of vitamin A derivative, retinyl palmitate, in binary solvents with aqueous phase

Fluorescence emission and fluorescence excitation spectra of retinyl palmitate molecules in binary water/p-dioxane and water/isopropyl alcohol solvents under different solvents polarities were studied. The binary solvents polarities were changed by changing the molar ratios of water to p-dioxane (or isopropyl alcohol). It was suggested that the observed changes of spectral properties were caused by the formation of different retinyl palmitate self-organised structures that were induced by environments of different polarity. The role of non (low) polar components of binary solvents in the process of resultant structures creation is also discussed.