Photoacoustic detection of photosensitized oxygenations in highly absorbing samples

A photoacoustic (PA) study of the relaxation processes of the excited states of photosensitizers in the presence of oxygen and chemical acceptors is described. It has been predicted theoretically that the ratio of PA amplitudes with and without acceptor depends on two parameters alpha and beta, related to the sensitizer and to the acceptor properties, respectively. Experimental studies were carried out on solutions of hematoporphyrin IX and methylene blue. The addition of an acceptor, specific to the singlet oxygen, like tetramethyl ethylene or furfuryl alcohol, appears to decrease significantly the photoacoustic signal amplitude within the band of absorption.