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Frequency-Domain Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements via Frequency Segmentation and Recombination as Applied to Pyrene with Dissolved Humic Materials

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Abstract

In this study, the association behavior of pyrene with different dissolved humic materials (DHM) was investigated utilizing the recently developed segmented frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime method. The humic materials involved in this study consisted of three commercially available International Humic Substances Society standards (Suwannee River fulvic acid reference, SRFAR, Leonardite humic acid standard, LHAS, and Florida peat humic acid standard, FPHAS), the peat derived Amherst humic acid (AHA), and a chemically bleached Amherst humic acid (BAHA). It was found that the three commercial humic materials displayed three lifetime components, while both Amherst samples displayed only two lifetime components. In addition, it was found that the chemical bleaching procedure preferentially removed red wavelength emitting fluorophores from AHA. In regards to pyrene association with the DHM, different behavior was found for all commercially available humics, while AHA and BAHA, which displayed strikingly similar behavior in terms of fluorescence lifetimes. It was also found that there was an enhancement of pyrene’s measured lifetime (combined with a decrease in pyrene emission) in the presence of FPHAS. The implications of this long lifetime are discussed in terms of (1) quenching mechanism and (2) use of the fluorescence quenching method used to determine the binding of compounds to DHM.

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Acknowledgments

Robert L. Cook acknowledges the Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund (LEQSF [2004–07]-RD-A-07), the National Science Foundation (CHE-0547982), and the United States Department of Agriculture (CSRESS 2005-35107-15278). Isiah M. Warner acknowledges the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Philip W. West Endowment for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA

    Hadi M. Marwani, Mark Lowry, Isiah M. Warner & Robert L. Cook

  2. Department of Chemistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Hadi M. Marwani

  3. Department of Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences, Stockbridge Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

    Baoshan Xing

  4. Department of Chemistry, Southern University at Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge, LA, 70813, USA

    Robert L. Cook

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  1. Hadi M. Marwani
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  5. Robert L. Cook
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Correspondence to Robert L. Cook.

Electronic supplementary material

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ESM 1

(PDF 2.96 MB) Supplementary information. Additional fluorescence lifetime data and fits of DHM individual components and pyrene and DHM mixtures, spectral information of pyrene and DHM individual components and their mixtures are provided.

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Marwani, H.M., Lowry, M., Xing, B. et al. Frequency-Domain Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements via Frequency Segmentation and Recombination as Applied to Pyrene with Dissolved Humic Materials. J Fluoresc 19, 41–51 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-008-0377-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-008-0377-3

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