Oxygen evolution in the presence of chlorophyll adsorbed at the octane/water interface

Abstract

Summary Chlorophyll a adsorbed at the octane/water interface catalyzes the reaction of water photooxidation. The potential drop generated in this case at the octane/water interface is proportional to the amount of adsorbed chlorophyll and to the oxygen evolution rate, in agreement with the phenomenological model of catalytic reactions at the interface between two immiscible liquids. The spectrum of action of the oxygen evolution rate resembles the absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a in the octane/water system. The quantum yield as calculated per number of incident light quanta is equal to 0.6 % at the wavelength 660 nm.