Interaction of flavonoids within organized molecular assemblies of anionic surfactant

The interaction of various flavonoids (compounds having C 6–C 3–C 6 configuration) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) an anionic surfactant was studied through absorption spectroscopy as a function of the concentration of surfactant above and below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactant. A mechanism was proposed for the interaction between these flavonoids and anionic surfactants. The approximate number of additive molecules (flavonoids) incorporated per micelle was estimated at a particular concentration of SDS. Incorporation of additive in micelles shifts the UV absorption bands towards higher wavelengths of different magnitude. The spectral shift also depends upon the nature of the surfactant head group. The absorption spectra of the flavonoids in aqueous solution and in methanol are also reported.