A fluorescence study of a diacylglycerol derivatized with the n-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) chromophore (NBD) was carried out. Fluorescence self-quenching was observed for this probe in lecithin model membranes due to collisional interaction rather than to an aggregational behaviour of the probe. The efficient energy migration (Ro = 28 A) of the NBD fluorophore was studied via the fluorescence depolarization upon increase of probe concentration in membranes, and the results are compared with a model where a random distribution of the probes is assumed. A surface location of the chromophore was concluded for the NBD derivative of diacylglycerol, both from the fluorescence parameters and from the study of its fluorescence quenching by spin label probes. Very high lateral diffusion coefficients were obtained for these probes, both from the self-quenching (D = 2-6 x 10(-6) cm2 s-1) and from the spin probe quenching (D = 3.5 x 10(-6) cm2 s-1) studies. A concomitant fluorescence study of the related probe NBD-phosphatidylcholine revealed that its photophysical behaviour is similar to the derivatized diacylglycerol.