Influence of pH on the triolein/aqueous interface and lipase activity

Lipases are responsible for the degradation of triglycerides to smaller components and attract interest in industrial applications in both the food and pharmaceutical industries due to the catalytic behavior. Understanding the oil-water interface that is controlling lipolytic activity is therefore, of significant importance. In a recent study we investigated the influence of pH on the interfacial lipolysis of thin triolein films using ellipsometry. While these measurements provided information about reaction kinetics and changes in overall film thickness, no internal structural information was revealed. Here, we intend to use neutron reflectometry to probe how solvent pH influences the changes to the internal structure as well as the oil/solvent interface of a thin triolein film after exposure to an aqueous buffer solution and subsequent addition on a lypolytic enzyme.