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Photophysics of Melatonin in Different Environments
Author(s) -
Rath M. C.,
Mahal H. S.,
Mukherjee T.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1999.tb03289.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , melatonin , micelle , aqueous solution , cyclohexane , fluorescence , microemulsion , quenching (fluorescence) , pulmonary surfactant , photochemistry , solvent , organic chemistry , biochemistry , medicine , physics , quantum mechanics
— Melatonin ( N ‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) is a naturally occurring hormone with a structural resemblance to tryptophan. Its fluorescence is solvent dependent and strongly quenched in the presence of oxygen. Fluorescence quenching in aqueous and organic solutions have been studied in the presence of different quenchers. A 1: 1 inclusion complex formation between melatonin and different cyclodextrins in aqueous solution has been observed. The effects of microheterogeneous media provided by cyclodextrins, micelles and reverse micelles on the fluorescence characteristics of melatonin have been investigated. The water‐soluble inorganic quenchers like KBr and KI were unable to quench the fluorescence of melatonin dissolved in a microemulsion consisting of surfactant + cyclohexane + 1‐propanol + water, whereas the organic quenchers like CC1 4 and CHC1 3 were able to quench the fluorescence with a rate constant (on the order of 10 8 dm 3 mol −1 s −1 ) quite similar to that in neat organic solvents.