FLUORESCENCE STUDY OF ACRIDONE IN W O MICROEMULSIONS PERTURBED BY THEADDITION OF WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMERS/

Using steady state and time resolved fluorescence techniques, the phot ophysical parameters of acridone in w/o microemulsions of aerosol OT/i sooctane were obtained. The results point to the existence of two spec ies of acridone in equilibrium. In this equilibrium some water molecul es are involved. The acridone species were localized at the micellar i nterface and in the water pool, respectively. The pseudo-equilibrium c onstant of the displacement process and the number of water molecules needed to displace acridone from the organic interface to the water po ol were determined. In the presence of two different molecular weight polyvinyl pyrrolidone polymers the two species of acridone were also d etected. The pseudo-equilibrium constant and the water molecules invol ved in the distribution equilibrium have also been determined and were compared with those obtained in nonperturbed microemulsions. Their di fferences are related with the average droplet occupancy and with chan ges on the water pool polarity induced by the addition of water solubl e polymers. (C) 1997 Academic Press.