Delayed fluorescence of porphyrins in different media

Lifetimes of TPPS4 (meso-tetraphenylporphine tetrasulfonate) triplet states were measured for liquid solutions of different acidity and viscosity and as a function of acceptor concentration for different acceptors (bovine serum albumin, tryptophan and furfuryl alcohol). Triplet lifetimes were estimated by monitoring the decay of TPPS4 delayed fluorescence of E-type. The lifetime of delayed fluorencence depends on the concentration of O2, since the latter is an effective quencher of the triplet state. The lifetime is shown to be influenced mainly by degree of aggregation state of TPPS4 and, therefore, by the pH of the solution, decreasing with pH and for each pH remaining constant over a wide range of acceptor concentrations. The monomeric species is found to have the longest triplet lifetime in aqueous phosphate-buffered saline solution at neutral pH, especially when bound to albumin, despite of the low viscosity and protonated nature of the medium.