Promotion of nano-anatase TiO2 on the spectral responses and photochemical activities of D1/D2/Cyt b559 complex of spinach

Previous researches approved that photocatalysis activity of nano-TiO₂ could obviously increase photosynthetic effects of spinach, but the mechanism of improving light energy transfer and conversion is still unclear. In the present we investigated effects of nano-anatase TiO₂ on the spectral responses and photochemical activities of D1/D2/Cyt b559 complex of spinach. Several effects of nano-anatase TiO₂ were observed: (1) UV–vis spectrum was blue shifted in both Soret and Q bands, and the absorption intensity was obviously increased; (2) resonance Raman spectrum showed four main peaks, which are ascribed to carotene, and the Raman peak intensity was as 6.98 times as that of the control; (3) the fluorescence emission peak was blue shifted and the intensity was decreased by 23.59%; (4) the DCPIP photoreduction activity showed 129.24% enhancement; (5) the oxygen-evolving rate of PS II was elevated by 51.89%. Taken together, the studies of the experiments showed that nano-anatase TiO₂ had bound to D1/D2/Cyt b559 complex, promoted the spectral responses, leading to the improvement of primary electron separation, electron transfer and light energy conversion of D1/D2/Cyt b559 complex.