Photochemically triggered transfer of bovine serum albumin by reverse micelle containing a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative

UV irradiation of a Malachite Green leuconitrile derivative, solubilized in the organic phase of a chloroform/1-hexanol/aqueous mixture, affords a cationic surfactant. These surfactant molecules associate more readily than do the parent molecules to form reverse micelles, which have been investigated by water solubilization and transmission electron microscopy. The photo-induced formation of reverse micelle is shown to internalize bovine serum albumin originally present in the bulk aqueous phase.