FLUOROMETRIC STUDY OF TRYPTOPHAN PHOTOLYSIS

Abstract— Measurements of fluorescence spectra and fluorescence intensity for tryptophan solutions at different pH show an effective decarboxylation and deamination of tryptophan molecules under UV irradiation. The nonexponential dose-relationship of decrease in total fluorescence of tryptophan solutions is due to the formation of the products retaining indole ring in the course of these reactions. Dose-relationships and quantum yields of indole ring photolysis, deamination and decarboxylation are determined for tryptophan at 254 nm irradiation. Indole ring destruction accounts for about 60% of the total photolysis of tryptophan. Decarboxylation of tryptophan is two times more effective than its deamination. In the absence of oxygen quantum yield of indole photolysis in tryptophan and in the products of decarboxylation and deamination is reduced by a factor of two and by approximately an order of magnitude, respectively. Tryptophan photolysis products which, when excited at 365 nm. fluoresce in the visible region are formed from an intermediate product of indole ring destruction.