Polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, surface pressure measurements and thermodynamic analysis were used to study enzymatic hydrolysis of lipid monolayers at the air/water interface. The Ca2+-requiring pork pancreatic phospholipase A2 was used as a catalyst. The substrates were pure 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine or mixed 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine – monosialotetrahexosylganglioside Langmuir films. The physicochemical properties of the monolayers were established with the aim of a correlation with enzyme activity.

The infrared spectra were acquired upon the advancement of the catalysis; the latter was studied at a controlled surface pressure and area of the film. Changes of the intensity and frequency of different infrared signals characteristic for the two lipids were correlated with modification of the properties of the monolayer due to hydrolysis. The amide I signal characteristic for peptides permitted detecting the enzyme adsorbed at the interface. The thermodynamic and infrared results indicate that monosialotetrahexosylganglioside increases H-bonding of the lipid polar heads in the films. This effect, which may be responsible for the low activity of phospholipase A2 in the mixed films, could be used for developing enzyme-resistant lipid systems.