PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOPHYSICS OF BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS

ROMERO, JUAN M.; TORRES, ROCÍO; OSPINA CALVO, BRIAN; DIZ, VIRGINIA; A. IRIEL; CORDON, GABRIELA; M. GABRIELA LAGORIO

Anales de la Asociacion QUimica Argentina

Asociación Química Argentina

Año: 2020

0365-0375

The analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence in plants allows obtaining relevant information about the photosynthetic activity. The key that connects photosynthesis with fluorescence is provided by the competitiveness of the processes that lead to the deactivation of chlorophyll, once it is excited by light absorption or energy transfer. In fact, there are three competing processes: i) transfer of electrons from the excited state, which initiates the electronic transport of the photosynthetic chain, ii) heat dissipation and iii) emission of fluorescence. This paper presents a review of the methodologies used in the analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence for diverse photosynthetic materials; both at laboratory and field level, and physical models to correct distortions by light re-absorption processes are explained. It introduces how information on the effect of pollution and/or environmental stress on the health of crops can be obtained from the analysis of the fluorescent emission. The main achievements of our research group are summarized, both for natural media and for hybrid systems constituted by photosynthetic material with incorporated nanoparticles.