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Removing UV‐A and UV‐C Radiation from UV‐B Fluorescent Lamp Emissions. Differences in the Inhibition of Photosynthesis in the Marine Alga Dunaliella tertiolecta Using Chromate Versus Cellulose Acetate‐Polyester Filters ¶
Author(s) -
White Andrea L.,
Jahnke Leland S.
Publication year - 2004
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.1751-1097.2004.tb00093.x
Subject(s) - ultraviolet , cellulose acetate , fluorescence , photosynthesis , uv filter , radiation , potassium , photochemistry , chemistry , cellulose , materials science , nuclear chemistry , optics , optoelectronics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , physics
Ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B; 280‐320 nm)‐emitting lamps unavoidably emit ultraviolet‐A (UV‐A; 320‐400 nm) and ultraviolet‐C (UV‐C; < 280 nm) radiation. Short‐wavelength‐blocking filters are generally used to limit the wave bands of UV under investigation. The widespread use of such filters means that all exposures to UV‐B radiation will have a significant UV‐A component. Therefore, the physiological effects unique to UV‐B exposure are difficult to clearly isolate. This study presents a method to remove the UV‐A and UV‐C “contamination” using a liquid potassium chromate (K 2 CrO 4 ) filter, thus allowing more direct assessment of the effects of UV‐B exposure. Cultures of the green marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta were grown in the absence of UV radiation. Sunlamps supplied the UV radiation for a 24 h exposure (solar radiation was not used in this study). The UV radiation was filtered either by the standard method ( i.e . cellulose acetate (CA) with polyester = Mylar controls) or by a liquid filter of potassium chromate. Photosynthetic responses were compared. Major decreases in the ratio of variable to maximal fluorescence in dark‐adapted cells and photosynthetic capacity were observed in CA‐filtered cultures, whereas no change was observed in cells exposed to the same UV‐B flux with the UV‐A removed by K 2 CrO 4 . The use of a CA filter with a Mylar control does not link results unequivocally to UV‐B radiation. Such results should be interpreted with caution.