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Solar Irradiation of Bilirubin: An Experiment in Photochemical Oxidation

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A. E. Pillay

Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khoud, 123, Sultanate of Oman

F. M. Salih

Department of Clinical and Biomedical Physics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khoud, 123, Sultanate of Oman

J. Chem. Educ., 2006, 83 (9), p 1327

DOI: 10.1021/ed083p1327

Publication Date (Web): September 1, 2006

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

An experiment on photochemical oxidation employing solar irradiation of bilirubin followed by spectrophotometric absorption was designed. Students can benefit from appreciating the utility of solar rays and its implementation in obtaining parameters such as chemical reaction rates and half-life. The experiment is student-friendly and involves solar irradiation of the sample in NaOH with absorption measurements at 453 nm. The bilirubin undergoes depletion, and the declining concentration can be expressed exponentially as a function of time. The instantaneous reaction rates, half-life, and rate constant can be derived directly from the exponential plot. Possible factors that affect the reaction, such as autooxidation and thermal effects, can be included in the experiment. The procedure is facile and didactic from the perspective of kinetics and from the prospect of isolating the photoproduct (biliverdin), which is a useful component in biosynthetic research.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Biochemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives

Keywords (Subject):

Applications of Chemistry

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This article has been cited by 3 ACS Journal articles (3 most recent appear below).

Photooxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin and Bilirubin Structure
A. F. McDonagh , D. A. Lightner
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (2), 199
- Photooxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin and Bilirubin Structure
  A. F. McDonagh , D. A. Lightner
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (2), 199
  Two recent articles in this Journal dealt with bilirubin (BR), the yellow pigment of neonatal jaundice. While BR is a fascinating biomedically-relevant tool for teaching photochemistry and stereochemistry, both articles are minefields of misinformation ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
Reply to A. F.Photooxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin and Bilirubin Structure
A. E. Pillay , F. M. Salih
Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (2), 201
- Reply to A. F.Photooxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin and Bilirubin Structure
  A. E. Pillay , F. M. Salih
  Journal of Chemical Education2008 85 (2), 201
  The authors reply to criticism of their earlier article.
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
Photochemical Oxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin
William F. Coleman
Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (9), 1329
- Photochemical Oxidation of Bilirubin to Biliverdin
  William F. Coleman
  Journal of Chemical Education2006 83 (9), 1329
  The Featured Molecules for this month are related to the photochemical oxidation of bilirubin to biliverdin. Biliverdin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin which is reduced by biliverdin reductase to bilirubin, the molecule that is responsible for ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links