This article is published in Journal of Molecular Recognition as a focus on AFM on Life Sciences and Medicine, edited by Jean-Luc Pellequer and Pierre Parot (CEA Marcoule, Life Science Division, Bagnols sur Cèze, France).
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Review
Seawater at the nanoscale: marine gel imaged by atomic force microscopy†
Article first published online: 1 APR 2011
DOI: 10.1002/jmr.1072
Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Issue
Journal of Molecular Recognition
Special Issue: AFM on Life Sciences and Medicine
Volume 24, Issue 3, pages 397–405, May/June 2011
Additional Information
How to Cite
Radić, T. M., Svetličić, V., Žutić, V. and Boulgaropoulos, B. (2011), Seawater at the nanoscale: marine gel imaged by atomic force microscopy. J. Mol. Recognit., 24: 397–405. doi: 10.1002/jmr.1072
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Publication History
- Issue published online: 1 APR 2011
- Article first published online: 1 APR 2011
- Manuscript Accepted: 9 JUL 2010
- Manuscript Revised: 8 JUL 2010
- Manuscript Received: 15 JUN 2010
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- marine gel network;
- marine biopolymers self-assembly;
- polysaccharide fibrils;
- atomic force microscopy;
- differential scanning calorimetry;
- sol-gel phase transition;
- phytoplankton bloom experiment;
- northern Adriatic Sea
Abstract
The present study introduces atomic force microscopy (AFM) as a tool for characterization of marine gel network and marine biopolymers self-assembly, not accessible by other techniques. AFM imaging of marine gel samples collected in summers 2003 and 2004 in the northern Adriatic Sea provided insight into molecular organization of gel network and associations between polysaccharide fibrils in the network. Initial stages of biopolymers self-assembly were visualized by AFM in a phytoplankton bloom experiment performed in the same aquatorium. Based on AFM imaging and differential scanning calorimetry, the marine gel is characterized as a thermoreversible physical gel and the dominant mode of gelation as crosslinking of polysaccharide fibrils by hydrogen bonding which results in helical structures and their associations. Direct deposition of whole seawater on freshly cleaved mica followed by rinsing was the procedure that caused the least impact on the original structures of biopolymer assemblies in seawater. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.