Fluorescence spectroscopy specificity

Zirconium is often deterniined gravimetrically. The most common procedure utilizes mandelic acid (81) which is fairly specific for zirconium plus hafnium. Other precipitants, including nine inorganic and 42 organic reagents, are Hsted in Reference 82. Volumetric procedures for zirconium, which also include hafnium as zirconium, are limited to either EDTA titrations (83) or indirect procedures (84). X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy gives quantitative results for zirconium, without including hafnium, for concentrations from 0.1 to 50% (85). Atomic absorption determines zirconium in aluminum in the presence of hafnium at concentrations of 0.1—3% (86). 

The continuous methods combine sample collection and the measurement technique in one automated process. The measurement methods used for continuous analyzers include conductometric, colorimetric, coulometric, and amperometric techniques for the determination of SO2 collected in a liquid medium (7). Other continuous methods utilize physicochemical techniques for detection of SO2 in a gas stream. These include flame photometric detection (described earlier) and fluorescence spectroscopy (8). Instruments based on all of these principles are available which meet standard performance specifications. 

The chemical composition of particulate pollutants is determined in two forms specific elements, or specific compounds or ions. Knowledge of their chemical composition is useful in determining the sources of airborne particles and in understanding the fate of particles in the atmosphere. Elemental analysis yields results in terms of the individual elements present in a sample such as a given quantity of sulfur, S. From elemental analysis techniques we do not obtain direct information about the chemical form of S in a sample such as sulfate (SO/ ) or sulfide. Two nondestructive techniques used for direct elemental analysis of particulate samples are X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and neutron activation analysis (NAA). 

Enzyme structure may be studied by fluorescence spectroscopy [238-244]. Excitation in the 280-310 nm absorption bands of proteins, usually results in fluorescence from tryptophan (Trp) residues in the 310-390 nm region. The fluorescence from the Trp residues is a convenient marker for protein denaturation and large decreases or red-shifts in fluorescence are observed when proteins are denatured. These changes are most often due to the exposure of the Trp residues that are buried in the protein and may be due to the changes in the proximities of specific residues that may act as fluorescence quenchers. Fluorescence emission characterization of the immobilized... 

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and fluorescence spectroscopy can be integrated with chromatographic techniques especially in the study of ageing and degradation of terpenic materials. They can be used to study the transformation, depletion or formation of specific functional groups in the course of ageing. 

Elemental qualitative analysis is a popular application of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The values of the wavelengths reaching the detector are indicative of what elements are present in the sample. This is so because the inner-shell transitions giving rise to the wavelengths are specific to the element. Qualitative analysis... 

Additional volumes in this series will be published to reflect further advances in fluorescence spectroscopy and its many applications. I welcome your suggestions for future topics or volumes, offers to contribute chapters on specific topics, or comments on the present volumes. 

The metaiioporphyrins form a diverse class of molecules exhibiting complex and varied photochemistries. Until recently time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies were the only methods used to study metailoporphyrln excited state relaxation in a submicrosecond regime. In this paper we present the first picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectra of excited state metaiioporphyrins outside of a protein matrix. The inherent molecular specificity of resonance Raman scattering provides for a direct probe of bond strengths, geometries, and ligation states of photoexcited metaiioporphyrins. 

Fluorescence spectroscopy is commonly used to characterize fluorescence effects in the UV and visual range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such fluorescence is caused by the fact that the absorption of UV or visible light of specific wavelengths causes excitation of electrons within a molecule. If radiating relaxation occurs directly from the singlet Sj state, the process is called fluorescence. 

The next three sections (Sections 7.7.1, 7.7.2, and 7.7.3) cover fluorescence spectroscopy, I15-18 infrared, and circular dichroism, three powerful approaches to characterize the structure and conformational considerations of synthetic peptides. Section 7.7.1 deals with the use of fluorophores and broad aspects of fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize conformational aspects of peptide structure. In a similar manner, Section 7.7.2 covers a broad aspect of the uses of infrared (IR) techniques to study peptide conformations 19-22 Many IR techniques are discussed, as are approaches for the study of specific peptidic structures including amyloid, p-turn, and membrane peptides. Finally, there is a section on circular dichroism (Section 7.7.3) that covers the major issues of concern for peptide synthetic chemists such as the assignments of a-helix, 310-helix, -sheets and P-turns, and polyproline helices 23-25 There is also a brief description of cyclic peptides. 

In both the far- and near-UV regions, CD spectra can be used empirically as fingerprints of a particular protein, with the spectrum resulting from the aromatic residues being rather more specific and hence diagnostic. The far-UV spectra, however, can provide information about the protein conformation in terms of its secondary structure. As for fluorescence spectroscopy or any spectroscopic method, the sample needs to be chemically pure and homogeneous. 

Spectroscopic techniques, such as ultra-violet (9), Infrared (25), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (24), and Fluorescence spectroscopies (5-8), constitute direct probes of specific events occurring at the molecular scale. When a quantitative interpretation is possible, spectroscopy provides very detailed microscopic information. Unfortunately however, the interpretation of spectra in terms of molecular events is often complex. Yet another approach that probes events at the molecular scale involves the use of tracers, such as chromophores (1-225). Again, the complexity of the tracer imposes limitations on the extent to which the data can be interpreted quantitatively. 

In this work we investigate such interactions by fluorescence spectroscopy. Probe molecules such as 2-naphthol and its 5-cyano-derivative are effective chromophores for studying acid/base interactions since both are relatively strong photo-acids. In addition, 2-naphthol is a common solute for which SCF solubility and physical property data exist. Ultimately, spectroscopic information will be used to develop a clearer picture of the specific interactions which induce large cosolvent effects on solubility in SCF solutions. 

Brown, R. L. (1992). Functional regions of the inhibitory subunit of retinal rod cGMP phosphodiesterase identified by site-specific mutagenesis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Biochemistry 31, 5918-5925. 

Dunham, T. D., and Farrens, D. L. (1999). Conformational changes in rhodopsin. Movement of helix f detected by site-specific chemical labeling and fluorescence spectroscopy./. Biol. Chem. 274, 1683-1690. 

---