SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
Spectrophotometry Determines concentration of a substance in solution Measures light absorbed by solution at a specific wavelength
Spectrophotometry One of the simplest and most widely used methods to determine the amount of protein or nucleic acid present in a given solution
Spectrophotometry Proteins do not absorb in visible wavelength region unless they have a prosthetic group (e.g., Fe2+), or an unnatural amino acid
Spectrophotometry The amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine & cytosine absorb light in the UV wavelength Aromatic rings in the bases of nucleic acids also absorb light in the UV range
Spectrophotometry Visible region: low energy electronic transition due to: a. Compounds containing transition metals b. Large aromatic structures & conjugated double bond systems (vitamin A, retinal, heme) UV region (200-400 nm): a. Small conjugated ring systems (Phe, Tyr, Trp)
Spectrophotometry Detector Cuvette Io I A = 0.012 l Lamp Monochromator Detector Cuvette
Spectrophotometers Light source (Lamp) Optical filters or prism Tube or cuvette Photocell or photomultiplier tube
Light source (Lamp) Visible region = tungsten or tungsten-halogen UV light = deuterium or hydrogen lamp
Optical filters/prisms To limit light to a certain wavelength Monochromator can isolate a specific wavelength of white light and allow it to pass through the solution being analyzed
Tubes or cuvettes Visible range = glass cuvette UV range = quartz cuvette
Photocell To detect transmitted light
Spectrophotometry Beer-Lambert’s Law log Io = cl I Where: Io = intensity of incident light I = intensity of transmitted light = molar extinction coefficient c = concentration of the absorbing species (mol/L) l = path length of the light-absorbing sample (cm)
Beer-Lambert’s Law The fraction of the incident light absorbed by a solution at a given wavelength is related to a. thickness of the absorbing layer (path length) and b. concentration of the absorbing species
Visible region wavelength Color Wavelength (nm) Ultraviolet 400 and under Violet 400 - 450 Blue 450 - 500 Green 500 - 570 Yellow 570 - 590 Orange 590 - 620 Red 620 - 650 Infrared 750 & over
Beer-Lambert’s Law Concentration amount of light absorbed A = abc = log(100/%T) Where A = absorbance a = absorptivity of the compound under standard conditions b = light path of the solution c = concentration of the compound %T = percent transmittance
Beer-Lambert’s Law Absorbance A = K x C = Log10Io I Where: Io = amount of light absorbed by the solution expressed as absorbance or optical density K = constant C = concentration of the substance
Transmittance Defined as the ratio of the intensity of light emerging from the solution (I) to that of incident light entering (Io) T = I Io Io I
Transmittance Inversely related to the concentration of the solution and is expressed in % % T = 1 x 100 Io
Transmittance 100% transmittance means no light is absorbed by the solution so that incident light is 100% transmitted
Absorbance & Transmittance Absorbance concentration Transmittance 1/ to concentration and absorbance
Sample Problem Cytosine has a molar extinction coefficient of 6 x 103 mol-1 cm-1 at 270 nm at pH 7. Calculate absorbance of 1 x 10-3 M cytosine solution in 1mm cell at 270 nm A = Log I0 = lc I
Sample Problem Solution: 1. A = lc = (6 x 103)x (0.1) x (1 x 10-3) = 0.6 (O.D.) O.D. between 0.1 and 2 are most reliable
Spectrophotometry Clinical applications: 1. Aromatic amino acids have characteristic strong absorbance of light at a wavelength of 280 nm ex. Tryptophan & tyrosine
Calculation Cu = Cs x A(u) x D A(s) Where: Cs = concentration of standard Cu = concentration of unknown A(s) = absorbance of standard A(u) = absorbance of unknown D = dilution factor
Calibration Curve Glucose Std. Concn. Absorbance 60 mg% 0.2 120 mg% 0.4 U 0.5 180 mg% 0.6
Colorimetric determination of reducing sugars Dinitrosalicylate Potassium ferric hexacyanid (Prussian blue) Nelson-Somogyi (molybdenum blue)
DNS method Developed by Sumner & Sisler (1944) and modified by Miller (1959) Based on reduction of sugars by DNS under alkaline conditions to yield 3-amino-5-nitrosalicylate (brown color)
DNS method Measured at 540 nm Quantity of reducing sugar is extrapolated from a calibration curve prepared with D-glucose Amylase-catalyzed reactions are typically buffered at pH5 using acetate or citrate
DNS method Amylase-catalyzed reactions are typically buffered at pH 5 using acetate or citrate Citrate may interfere with DNS color development
Principle Carbohydrates are essentially aldehydes or ketones that contain multiple hydroxyl (-OH) groups Monosaccharides can be aldoses (glucose) or ketoses (fructose
Principle Both aldoses & ketoses occur in equilibrium between the open-chain forms and cyclic forms (chain lengths of C4) These are generated by bond formation between one of the (-OH) groups of the sugar chain with the C of the aldehyde or keto group to form a hemiacetal bond.
Principle
Principle
Principle
Principle When salivary amylase is added to starch, a hydrolysis reaction is initiated in which water breaks bonds, releasing maltose
Principle DNS tests for the presence of free carbonyl groups (C=O), the so-called reducing sugars Involves oxidation of the aldehyde functional groups in glucose and the ketone functional groups in fructose
Principle Simultaneously, 3,5 DNS is reduced to 3-amino, 5 nitrosalicylic acid under alkaline conditions As hydrolysis proceeds, more reducing sugar will be available to react with the 3,5 DNS
Principle Aldehyde group carboxyl group 3,5 Dinitrosalicylic 3-amino, 5 nitrosalicylic oxidation reduction
Standard Absorbance Curve Done by reacting know concentration of glucose with DNS then determining absorbance at 540 nm Plot absorbance vs. glucose concentration
Absorbance Absorbance corresponds to 0.1 ml of test = x mg of glucose 10 ml contains = x (10 mg of glucose) 0.1 = % of reducing sugars