International Brokerage Event and Scientific Conference

"Sustainable Land Management and Vulnerable Ecosystems"

15-17 January 2003, Ljubljana, SLOVENIA

Delayed Fluorescence and

Luminescence: A Versatile Tool
for Risk Assessment and
Monitoring in Sustainable
Development
Alexis Zrimec1, Luka Drinovec1, and
Maja Berden Zrimec2
1 Institute of Physical Biology, Slovenia
2 Institute Bion, Slovenia

Keywords: light emission, stress detection, ecotoxicology, genotoxicity, nondestructive bioassays

The Problem
 For better understanding and predicting the
response of organisms and ecosystems to natural
and human-induced disturbances…
… it is necessary to develop nondestructive,
objective, and quantitative, stress and quality
indicators.
 The methods used range from purely physico-
chemical measurements to biological assays and
ecological surveys
 The methods used range from purely physico-
chemical measurements to biological assays and
ecological surveys
 The methods used range from purely physico-
chemical measurements to biological assays and
ecological surveys
 The methods used range from purely physico-
chemical measurements to biological assays and
ecological surveys
There is a need to develop methods which would
share the sensitivity and quantitative nature of
physico-chemical methods with the relevance of
biological methods and at the same time be
versatile enough to be used in many areas of
environmental research
There is a need to develop methods which would
share the sensitivity and quantitative nature of
physico-chemical methods with the relevance of
biological methods and at the same time be
versatile enough to be used in many areas of
environmental research
There is a need to develop methods which would
share the sensitivity and quantitative nature of
physico-chemical methods with the relevance of
biological methods and at the same time be
versatile enough to be used in many areas of
environmental research
Possible Solution

Delayed Fluorescence
and Luminescence
 Delayed fluorescence is the long-lived light
emission from previously illuminated biological
material, whereas luminescence is spontaneous,
nonstimulated, ultra-weak light emission from living
cells (several orders of magnitude weaker than
delayed fluorescence).
 Delayed fluorescence is the long-lived light
emission from previously illuminated biological
material, whereas luminescence is spontaneous,
nonstimulated, ultra-weak light emission from living
cells (several orders of magnitude weaker than
delayed fluorescence).
Delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll is correlated
with chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity,
plant stress, crop quality, and taxonomic group
Delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll is correlated
with chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity,
plant stress, crop quality, and taxonomic group
Delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll is correlated
with chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity,
plant stress, crop quality, and taxonomic group
Delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll is correlated
with chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity,
plant stress, crop quality, and taxonomic group
 Delayed fluorescence can be used as an
ecotoxicological stress indicator, a physiological
indicator of plant viability, a monitoring tool for
phytoplankton succession, density, composition and
activity
 Delayed fluorescence can be used as an
ecotoxicological stress indicator, a physiological
indicator of plant viability, a monitoring tool for
phytoplankton succession, density, composition and
activity
 Delayed fluorescence can be used as an
ecotoxicological stress indicator, a physiological
indicator of plant viability, a monitoring tool for
phytoplankton succession, density, composition and
activity
 Delayed fluorescence of DNA can be used as a
genotoxicity test, because the fluorescence signal
correlates with stress to nuclear DNA - which can
be induced by genotoxic substances
 Luminescence measurements from living cells are
correlated with the elevated reactive oxygen
species concentrations and the cell cycle.
Its uses can be in nondestructive detection of plant
viral infections (or other stresses), growth rates and
tumors.
The advantage of delayed fluorescence as well as
luminescence measurements is the possibility of
field measurements of intact organisms in situ as
well as laboratory assays and studies.
The Innovation
There are numerous publications reporting the use
of delayed fluorescence or luminescence for
addressing different issues in physiology, ecology,
agronomy and medicine. However, the
methodology is still not standardised, nor there
exists a versatile device for routine measurements.
There are numerous publications reporting the use
of delayed fluorescence or luminescence for
addressing different issues in physiology, ecology,
agronomy and medicine. However, the
methodology is still not standardised, nor there
exists a versatile device for routine measurements.
 Our proposal is to review all the uses of delayed
fluorescence and luminescence in order to design a
versatile tool for risk assessment and monitoring
and to design and construct the necessary
measuring equipment. The device based on light-
emission detection from cells, tissues and
organisms in the field or in the laboratory could then
be used for a wide spectrum of environmental
studies.
 Our proposal is to review all the uses of delayed
fluorescence and luminescence in order to design a
versatile tool for risk assessment and monitoring
and to design and construct the necessary
measuring equipment. The device based on light-
emission detection from cells, tissues and
organisms in the field or in the laboratory could then
be used for a wide spectrum of environmental
studies.
 Our proposal is to review all the uses of delayed
fluorescence and luminescence in order to design a
versatile tool for risk assessment and monitoring
and to design and construct the necessary
measuring equipment. The device based on light-
emission detection from cells, tissues and
organisms in the field or in the laboratory could then
be used for a wide spectrum of environmental
studies.
Our Contribution
 Our main scientific interest is in studying light
phenomena in living matter. For that purpose we
designed and constructed a system for measuring
weak photon emission from cells, tissues or whole
organisms.
 Our main scientific interest is in studying light
phenomena in living matter. For that purpose we
designed and constructed a system for measuring
weak photon emission from cells, tissues or whole
organisms.
filter weel

high voltage light

photon counting
unit
shutterp
personal
computer
motor
sample

PMT

thermostat

cooling system lightguide

shutter
 We apply the system for measuring delayed
fluorescence of algae and higher plants in order to
detect stress and measure some parameters of
photosynthesis.
 We have designed a rapid biotest for
ecotoxicological screening of environmental
contamination using the delayed fluorescence of
Lemna minor and (a marine alga) Skeletonema
costatum. The methodology will also be used in
assessing the quality of soil, water, vegetation and
crops for ecofarming or precision farming.
 We have designed a rapid biotest for
ecotoxicological screening of environmental
contamination using the delayed fluorescence of
Lemna minor and (a marine alga) Skeletonema
costatum. The methodology will also be used in
assessing the quality of soil, water, vegetation and
crops for ecofarming or precision farming.
 We perform delayed and prompt fluorescence
measurements of marine algae to set up a system
for monitoring the toxic algal populations and algal
blooms
 Expected Contribution of the
Partners
• joint research and development of the
methodologies in the different fields of use
and/or development of the necessary
instrumentation
• manufacturing and/or marketing of the
proposed new technology
Thank You