POLARIZATION OF FLUORESCENCE OF RIBOFLAVIN IN ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM

Abstract— The dichroism and anisotropy of emission of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film with riboflavin (RF) were measured. The short axis of the RF molecule seems to be oriented in the direction of stretching of the film. The transition moment of the weak absorption band at 300 nm is also parallel to this direction, but it forms an angle greater than 50° with the emission oscillator. The transition moments of absorption bands at 440 , 360 and 270 nm are intermediate in direction between long and short axes of the RF molecule. The extinction at 360 nm probably involves more than one electronic transition. Angles between absorption oscillators are very close to those obtained by Song and Kurtin. The mode of orientation of RF molecules suggests appearance of some type of binding between RF and the PVA matrix.