Thermoluminescence

• Thermo luminescence (TL) of photosynthetic membranes was discovered by William Arnold and Helen Sherwood in 1957. In the last half century, several studies have elucidated the mechanism of TL emission, which showed that the recombination of different charge pairs generated and trapped during pre-illumination are responsible for the observed light emission. Since most of the TL bands originate within Photosystem II (PS II), the technique of TL has become a useful complementary tool to chlorophyll a fluorescence to probe subtle changes in PS II photochemistry. The technique is simple and non-invasive; it has been successfully used to study leaf, cells, thylakoids and even reaction center preparations. The TL technique provides quick information about the redox potential changes of the bound primary quinone (Q(A)) and the secondary quinone (Q(B)) acceptors of PS II; TL has been extensively used to study the effects of photoinhibition, mutations, stresses and myriad responses of the photosynthetic apparatus during acclimation and adaptation. This chapter reviews crucial evidence for the identification of charge pairs responsible for the generation of different TL bands; the relationship of these bands to the components of delayed light emission; responses to excitation pressure arising out of environmental factors; methodology, and instrumentation. A model based on the detailed analysis of the redox shifts of the PS II electron acceptors Q(A) and Q(B), explaining the possibility of non-radiative dissipation of excess light energy within the reaction center of PS II (reaction center quenching) and its physiological significance in photoprotection of the photosynthetic membranes has been suggested. Developments in the analysis of biophysical parameters and the non-adherence of photosynthetic TL to the analysis by the 1945 theory of J.T. Randall and M.H.F. Wilkins have been briefly reviewed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Botanik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Botany (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Organisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Organic Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

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kap (subject category)