Photoexcitation of the native iron semiconductor housed within the cage-like protein, ferritin, in the presence of a sacrificial electron donor releases soluble ferrous iron (Fe2+), which can be used for environmental remediation reactions. To potentially enhance remediation efforts, photoexcitation reactions with ferritin were completed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to observe if Fenton chemistry could be induced. The desired reactive product, hydroxyl radicals, was monitored through the use of an in-situ probe, coumarin, which produces a fluorescent product after reaction with the species, as a function of wavelength, pH, and concentration. Results indicated that hydroxyl radical production, arising from reactions with ferritin, increased with decreasing pH and in the presence of the sacrificial electron donor, tartrate. Further, the production depended more on the concentration of H2O2 than Fe(II). The stability of ferritin exposed to hydroxyl radicals was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Preliminary results indicate that the protein cage is stable under this Fenton chemistry, and potential remediation applications of the photochemical system will be discussed.

Photo-induced Fenton chemistry of naturally occurring ferritin

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.