The uptake of ortho and para nitrophenol to charged and neutral lipid monolayers spread at the air/solution interface was studied by reflection spectroscopy. The adsorption characteristics of the two nitrophenols have been studied by measuring the surface pressure and surface potential as a function of molecular area of the different lipid monolayers in the presence of nitrophenols in the subphase. The results have been interpreted in terms of the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged dissociated phenolate ions and the positively charged head group of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide monolayers
