Studies of fluorescence quenching mechanisms

CHED 276

Grace Kennedy and Todd Pagano, tepnts@rit.edu. Laboratory Science Technology program, Rochester Institute of Technology/ National Technical Institute for the Deaf, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623
Understanding quenching mechanisms is crucial to the quantitative and qualitative utilization of fluorescence spectroscopy. In the presence of inner filtering and oxygen quenching, analysis of fluorescence data can be difficult without a proper understanding of these quenching mechanisms. Algorithms for the compensation of inner filter effects and techniques to remediate oxygen quenching will be discussed. Also presented will be the development of a novel fiber optic based system that simultaneously collects steady-state fluorescence, absorbance, and fluorescence lifetime measurements. This instrument will aid in the characterization of these quenching mechanisms, and move towards a better understanding of proper protocols to the collection and analysis of fluorescence data.