The photosynthetic efficiency of Cornus controversa leaves was decreased significantly under Cd treatment while it was not affected by Pb exposure. Cd decreased while Pb treatment increased the chlorophyll contents of Cornus controversa leaves. Furthermore, the peroxidase (GPX) activities were decreased after Cd treatment while elevated by Pb exposure in Cornus controvera seedlings. In addition...

The response of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) to Zn/Cd contamination in soil was investigated using pot experiment. Plants were grown on soils containing increasing doses of two metals. Zn and Cd were applied alone or combined. Growth parameters as well as content of photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic performance were determined. Soil and plant tissue were analyzed by atomic absorptio...

Recent episodes of mass coral bleaching, the loss of symbiotic dinoflagellates or photosynthetic pigment from hermatypic corals, have been triggered by elevated sea temperatures. Photosynthetic irradiance is an important secondary factor. Host based pigments (pocilloporins or Green Fluorescent Protein homologues) have been proposed to reduce the impact of elevated temperature by shading the din...

Photosynthetic tissues are organized functionally into aggregates of light harvesting pigments (mainly chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phycobilins) associated with photochemical reaction centers (1, 2). The pigments absorb light and deliver the energy to the reaction centers, where an oxido-reductive photochemistry ensues. The primary photoproducts, oxidizing and reducing entities, serve as star...

The study of daily changes in photosynthetic rate, of energy used in photochemical and non-photochemical processes, and of carotenoid composition aimed at evaluating the role of xanthophyll cycle (XC) in protection of hoary plantain plants (Plantago media) in nature. The leaves of sun plants differed from shade plants in terms of CO(2) exchange rate and photosynthetic pigments content. The tota...

Background Grätzel solar cell, also known as dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), is a dye-sensitized nanocrystalline photovoltaic cell of TiO2 (titanium dioxide). It has a surface of nanoporous TiO2, a semiconductor of a wide bandgap. The basic principle is to transform light energy into electrical energy. When a dye molecule absorbs light, an electron is replaced by an excited state, and this dy...