The real-time changes in viscoelasticity of adsorbed poly(L-lysine) (PLL) and adsorbed histone (lysine rich fraction) due to cross-linking by glutaraldehyde and corresponding release of associated water were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR/FTIR). The kinetics of PLL and histone adsorption were measured through changes in mass adsorbed onto a go in frequency and dissipation and using the Voigt viscoelastic model. Prior to cross-linking, the shear viscosity and shear modulus of the adsorbed PLL layer were similar to 3.0 x 10(-3) Pas and similar to 2.5 x 10(5) pa, respectively, while after cross-linking, they increased to similar to 17.5 x 10(-3) Pas and similar to 2.5 x 10(6) Pa, respectively. For the adsorbed histone layer, shear viscosity and shear modulus increased modestly from similar to 1.3 x 10(-3) to similar to 2.0 x 10(-3) Pas and from similar to 1.2 x 10(4) to similar to 1.6 x 10(4) Pa, respectively. The adsorbed mass estimated from the Sauerbrey equation (perfectly elastic) and the Voigt viscoelastic model differ appreciably prior to cross-linking whereas after cross-linking they converged. This is because trapped water molecules were released during cross-linking. This was confirmed experimentally via ATR/FTIR measurements. The variation in viscoelastic properties increased substantially after cross-linking presumably due to fluctuation of the randomly cross-linked network structure. An increase in fluctuation of the viscoelastic properties and the loss of imbibed water could be used as a signature of the formation of a cross-linked network and the amount of cross-linking, respectively. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.