Excitation energy transfer between erythrosin B and malachite green adsorbed on a microheterogeneous polymer latex

Abstract

In this article electronic excitation energy transfer between the aggregates of the donor erythrosin B (EB) and the acceptor malachite green (MG) has been studied in polystyrenebutylmethacrylate latex. Steady state flourescence quenching studies reveal that with the increasing latex concentration the rate of quenching decreases initially, attains a minimum and then increases again. Such a behaviour has been attributed to aggregation of the dye molecules at low latex concentration and redistribution at larger latex concentrations. These results illustrate the role of the microenvironment in modifying the energy transfer reaction rates and provides a model system for understanding energy transfer mechanisms in context to photosynthesis in real living systems.