title: Investigations of riboflavin photolysis via coloured light in the nitro blue tetrazolium assay for superoxide dismutase activity.
abstract: Determination of the superoxide dismutase activity is an important issue in the fields of biochemistry and the medical sciences. In the riboflavin/nitro blue tetrazolium (B2/NBT) method, the light sources used for generating superoxide anion radicals from light-excited riboflavin are normally fluorescent lamps. However, the conditions of B2/NBT experiments vary. This study investigated the effect of the light source on the light-excitation of riboflavin. The effectiveness of the photolysis was controlled by the wavelength of the light source. The spectra of fluorescent lamps are composed of multiple colour lights, and the emission spectra of fluorescent lamps made by different manufacturers may vary. Blue light was determined to be the most efficient for the photochemical reaction of riboflavin in visible region. The quality of the blue light in fluorescent lamps is critical to the photo-decomposition of riboflavin. A blue light is better than a fluorescent lamp for the photo-decomposition of riboflavin. The performance of the B2/NBT method is thereby optimized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Ming-Chuan University, Gui-Shan 33343, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Ming-Chuan University, Gui-Shan 33343, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Yü
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Ming-Chuan University, Gui-Shan 33343, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chan-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Ming-Chuan University, Gui-Shan 33343, Taiwan. Electronic address: jiyuanl@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D005562:Formazans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D010782:Photolysis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005562:Formazans; D005707:Gallic Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D012256:Riboflavin
keywords: Blue light; LED; NBT; Riboflavin; Superoxide dismutase