On the behavior of indole-containing species sequestered within reverse micelles at sub-zero temperatures.

We report on the effects of temperature (+30 to -100 degrees C) on the fluorescence from N-acetyl tryptophanamide (NATA) and human serum albumin (HSA) sequestered within Aerosol-OT (AOT) reversed micelles. NATA reports simultaneously from the polar and non-polar side of the reverse micelle interface. As the sample temperature decreases, the relative fraction of NATA molecules associated with the polar side increases.