Effects of lipid composition on partitioning of fullerene between water and lipid membranes

Fullerene partition coefficients (K_lipw) between water and solid supported lipid membranes were determined for membranes of various lipid types and composition over a range of temperatures. The log K_lipw (L/kg) values for fullerene, which range from 3.1 to 5.3, depend on the lipid type in the lipid membranes. Partition coefficients increased with increasing temperature, increasing acyl chain length of unsaturated lipids. The results indicate that lipid composition is a critical factor for bioconcentration of fullerene.