Multi-wavelength thermal-lens spectrometry for high-accuracy measurements of absorptivities and quantum yields of photodegradation of a hemoprotein–lipid complex

Accuracy of Measurements of Thermophysical Parameters by Dual-Beam Thermal-Lens Spectrometry

Thermal-lens spectrometry is a sensitive technique for determination of physicochemical properties and thermophysical parameters of various materials including heterogeneous systems and nanoparticles. In this paper, we consider the issues of the correctness (trueness) of measurements of the characteristic time of the thermal-lens effect and, thus, of the thermal diffusivity determined by dual-beam mode-mismatching thermal lensing. As sources of systematic errors, major factors-radiation sources, sample-cell and detector parameters, and general measurement parameters-are considered using several configurations of the thermal-lens setups, and their contributions are quantified or estimated. Furthermore, with aqueous ferroin and Sudan I in ethanol as inert colorants, the effects of the intermolecular distance of the absorbing substance on the correctness of finding the thermophysical parameters are considered. The recommendations for checking the operation of the thermal-lens setup to ensure the maximum accuracy are given. The results obtained help reducing the impact of each investigated factor on the value of systematic error and correctly measure the thermophysical parameters using thermal-lens spectrometry.

Photodegradation mechanisms of reactive blue 19 dye under UV and simulated solar light irradiation

In this work we performed dye photodegradation experiments in presence of TiO₂ and Cu/Zr modified TiO₂. The changes in the shape of the spectra of RB19 caused by photocatalysts under the simulated solar or UV light were monitored. Since the predominant photocatalytic mechanism can only be observed in very dilute solution of RB19, UV-Vis absorption spectrometry for higher concentrations and thermal lens spectrometry for lower concentrations have been applied to elucidate the mechanistic details of degradation processes. Bleaching of the dye was a characteristic feature, that occurred under both simulated solar and UV lights. It was also evident, that the absorption peak with maximum centered at 592 nm undergoes a slight blue shift during irradiation. The experiments carried out using UV and simulated solar light demonstrated, that two different processes responsible for the RB19 dye degradation occurred. In the initial stage of irradiation one of the processes appears under the UV light and can be recognized by a characteristic blue shift in the absorption spectrum of the solution. The second process is characteristic for irradiation by the simulated solar light which involve a blue shift at longer periods (100 min). These phenomena were attributed to the photocatalytic and photosensitization mechanisms, respectively. However, photocatalytic mechanism was also observed under simulated solar radiation, when the initial dye concentration was decreased to 5 mgL^-1, and was recognized by the increase of the thermal lens signal during the initial stages of degradation process. This was possible because the thermal lens spectroscopy technique provides a limit of quantification for RB19 at the concentration level of 0.12 mg L^-1, while UV-Vis spectrometry enables quantification of RB19 only down to 4 mg L^-1 levels.

Biomimetic Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Photoluminescence, and Photocatalytic Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Owing to the development of nanotechnology, biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is gaining considerable attention as a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach that minimizes the effects of toxic chemicals used in NP fabrication. The present work reports low-cost phytofabrication of zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs employing aqueous extracts of various parts (leaves, stems, and inflorescences) of Tephrosia purpurea (T. purpurea). The formation, structure, morphology, and other physicochemical properties of ZnO NPs were characterized by ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). UV–Vis spectral analysis revealed sharp surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at around 250–280 nm, while the XRD patterns confirmed distinctive peaks indices to the crystalline planes of hexagonal wurtzite ZnO NPs. TEM analysis confirmed the presence of spherical-shaped ZnO NPs with average particle sizes (PS) between 25–35 nm, which was in agreement with the XRD results. FTIR analysis revealed that phenolics, flavonoids, amides, alkaloids, and amines present in the plant extract are responsible for the stabilization of the ZnO NPs. Further, the hydrodynamic diameter in the range of 85–150 nm was measured using the DLS technique. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) ability of biogenic ZnO NPs was evaluated, and the highest efficiency was found in ZnO NPs synthesized via T. purpurea inflorescences extract. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of biogenic ZnO NPs showed three emission peaks consisting of a UV–Vis region with high-intensity compared to that of chemically synthesized ZnO NPs. The biosynthesized ZnO NPs showed photocatalytic activity under solar irradiation by enhancing the degradation rate of methylene blue (MB). Among the prepared biogenic ZnO NPs, T. purpurea leaves mediated with NPs acted as the most effective photocatalyst, with a maximum degradation efficiency of 98.86% and a half-life of 84.7 min. This is the first report related to the synthesis of multifunctional ZnO NPs using T. purpurea, with interesting characteristics for various potential applications in the future.

From Protohypericin to Hypericin: Photoconversion Analysis Using a Time-Resolved Thermal Lens Technique

Hypericin (Hyp) is a natural compound with interesting photophysical and pharmacological properties, which has been used in photodynamic therapy and photodynamic inactivation of microorganisms. Its synthesis is based on a series of chemical processes that ends with a light-drug interaction by the photoconversion of protohypericin (pHyp) to Hyp. Although this photosensitizer is used in a variety of medical applications, the photophysical and photochemical mechanisms involved in the final step related to the photo production of Hyp are not completely understood at the molecular level. Protohypericin concentration, solvents, light irradiation under different wavelengths, and a sort of variables could play an important role in predicting the yielding of this photoconversion process. Here, we used the high-sensitive and remote measurement characteristics of the time-resolved thermal lens technique to investigate the relation between the light-induced photoconversion rate of pHyp to Hyp and the initial concentration pHyp. The results show a linear dependence of the photoreaction rate with the concentration of pHyp, indicating that the overall reaction process includes steps comprising the formation of distinct intermediate species. We demonstrate the applicability of the thermal lens technique for the photochemical characterization of photosensitive drugs at low concentration levels.