PHOTOINDUCED OXYGEN CONSUMPTION IN MELANIN SYSTEMS–II. ACTION SPECTRA and QUANTUM YIELDS FOR PHEOMELANINS

Abstract— Photoinduced oxygen consumption in systems containing synthetic and natural pheomelanins has been studied by ESR spectroscopy using a nitroxide spin probe to monitor oxygen concentration. Action spectra and quantum yields have been determined for melanin from 5‐S‐cysteinyldopa and for pheomelanins extracted from red human hair and red chicken feathers. For comparison, data also were obtained for eumelanins from black hair and black feathers. The action spectrum for oxygen consumption by cysteinyldopa melanin is closely related to that previously obtained for eumelanins except that it shows slightly less efficiency at intermediate wavelengths (ca. 300–400 nm). Action spectra for the natural pheomelanins resemble either that for cysteinyldopa melanin or that for eumelanin. In general pheomelanins are no more effective than eumelanins in promoting oxygen consumption, i.e. they are no more susceptible to net photooxidation.