Spectroscopy of intrinsic IR radiation. Adaptation of the method for studying living systems
N.V. Penkov, N.A. Penkova1
1Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Abstract
Emission infrared spectroscopy is one of the varieties of vibrational spectroscopy that has been developing since the middle of the last century. Despite great efforts, this method has not been widely used in practice. The reason for this is the need for aggressive excitation of the studied samples, for example, using strong heating. This approach is unacceptable for most samples, including biological ones. Recent developments have helped overcome this limitation and have demonstrated the possibility of recording the emission spectra of biological samples in the IR range with minimal excitation [1].
We have developed a method for recording the spectra of an intrinsic IR radiation, which does not require excitation at all [2]. This is true intrinsic emission, drawing energy from an internal heat pool. The absence of external excitation eliminates the risks of influencing the molecular structure of weakly associated objects, such as biological macromolecular complexes. Note that, unlike the usual measurement of thermal energy, this spectral method allows analyzing the molecular structure by analogy with absorption IR spectroscopy, but with higher sensitivity [3].
The most interesting and still open question is whether the intrinsic IR radiation of biological objects is determined solely by thermal characteristics, or are there factors of a different nature? Spectroscopy of intrinsic IR radiation can be used to answer this question experimentally.
[1] E.L. Terpugov. Fourier Transform Infrared Emission Spectroscopy in the Study of Biological Molecules. Biophysics. 2020. 65, 1–11.
[2] N. Penkov, N. Penkova, Measurement of the emission spectra of protein solutions in the infrared range. Description of the method and testing using solution of human interferon gamma as an example. Frontiers in Physics. 2020. 8, 615917.
[3] N.V. Penkov, N.A. Penkova. Infrared emission spectroscopy for investigation of biological molecules in aqueous solutions. Physics of Wave Phenomena. 2021. 29(2), 164-168.
Speaker
Nikita Penkov
Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russia
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